The Heart of the Great Valley
by JassyIsClassy
Summary: A rainbow face travels to the Great Valley with her family after a visit gone wrong. Pterano's sentence ends, and he struggles with internal conflicts within himself. Soon, enemies, both old and new, arrive. The heart of the valley contains many secrets, but will the residents be able to use them to ensure that they live another day?
1. Chapter 1: Miriam

"Mm..." the bright circle shone through the entrance of the cave, causing the adolescent rainbow face to stir from her peaceful slumber. Miriam couldn't exactly lie and say she _was_ a morning dinosaur, because as beautiful as she thought the sight of dawn was, she still disliked having to get up in the morning.

"Mackenzie!" That was Miriam's sister. But it was her mother, Amelia, who was calling for Miriam's sister. Miriam didn't hear her name being called however, so she took it upon herself to use her tail to block out the nearly blinding sunlight. She had just begun to doze off when she felt Amelia gently nudge the apple of her cheek with her snout. Miriam had gotten very sick as a hatchling, so Amelia was very gentle with her. But she was the same way with Mackenzie as well, for she loved both of her daughters. "Wake up," Amelia cooed. "The bright circle has already risen in the sky."

Miriam pretended to not hear her at first, but immediately felt bad for ignoring her mother. She let a yawn roll off her tongue as she lifted her head. "Alright, I'm up."

Amelia gave a pleased smile, licking her daughter's cheek as a sign of gratitude. "Good. Now, I'll go wake up that sister of yours." And with that, Amelia left to go fetch Mackenzie.

Miriam stretched out her legs, those shy emerald green eyes of hers narrowing as the light from the bright circle hit her eyes. Just as she gotten into her feet, and stepped out to greet the rest of her family, another rainbow face- who was bigger and more masculine looking, came rushing in. His hands were filled with tree stars, but he still stopped to say good morning. "Good morning, Miria-" was all he was able to say before his brown eyes widened moments before he slipped, causing tree stars to fly everywhere. Miriam sauntered over to inspect the damage, lifting a tree star off the male dinosaur's nose. "Good morning to you too, dad."

Miriam's mother came in at the appropriate moment it seemed. She was followed by another rainbow face just about Miriam's age, except her eyes were more of a wild jade green. She looked...tired. Those eyes which were usually so full of life were blank and dull. Of course, she had just woken up, so it would be only natural that she'd look tired. If she were someone else, maybe. But not Mackenzie, oh no. She was always up on her feet and ready to move not long after the bright circle rose.

"A bit jumpy today, are we, Tristan?" Amelia joked, earning a laugh from Miriam.

Tristan, also known as the father of Miriam and Mackenzie, hopped up from the pile of tree stars he was buried in. "Of course not, Amelia. Why, I-" Tristan tapped his chin with his claw, pondering on what to say. Poor Tristan couldn't think of a good comeback.

Amelia chortled at her husband's embarrassment. "You're adorable."

"I disagree with that statement." Tristan countered.

"Well, you are!" Amelia yelped.

Tristan didn't want to accidentally upset Amelia by disagreeing with her, so he decided to just comply instead. "...Fine. You win. Happy?"

"Of course~" Amelia grinned, resting her chin on his shoulder. "How can I be sad when you're around?"

Mackenzie scoffed. "Yeah. We all know how much you two love each other. Now, if you don't mind, I would like my breakfast. I didn't get up for nothing, you know."

"Right," Amelia chimed in realization, turning to gather a handful of tree stars, setting them down by where the two young dinosaurs were waiting. They were quick to dig into their food, despite Amelia's warnings to take it slow. "Okay, okay! There's plenty to go around."

"Sorry," Miriam said apologetically.

"Yeah, we're just hungry." Mackenzie added.

Miriam was the only one who apologized, Mackenzie just looked for a way to defend her actions. At times, it was hard to believe that these two were actually sisters. They were just so different from each other. Though they did have a few things in common, like their love for tree stars. As Miriam bit into her tree star, she couldn't help but overhear the conversation her parents were having.

"We need to go. It's not safe out here." Amelia began.

"So? No place in the world is actually safe, Amelia." Tristan retorted. "And what makes you so sure the Great Valley even exists?"

"While that may be true, you can't deny that it'll gradually become harder to defend ourselves or escape from sharpteeth since we have children to look after now. And I know the Great Valley exists. Why would so many dinosaurs give up everything to find it if it didn't?" Amelia reasoned, and Tristan was suddenly at a loss for words. He didn't have a better argument than the one his mate provided.

Amelia was so certain that the Great Valley existed, while Tristan was persistent that it was just a tale used to give dinosaurs false hopes. They were both rather reasonable opinions, Miriam didn't know which one to believe. Just then, Miriam finished the last of her tree stars and broke the awkward atmosphere between her parents. "Mom? I'm going to go take a short walk."

Amelia sighed dismissively. "Alright dear, just don't go too far."

Miriam gave a nod, and left. She walked over to her favorite spot, a simple pond under the shade of a small tree. The quiet setting was peaceful, and allowed her to ponder on many things. She peered into her reflection, emerald green eyes wide with curiosity. _The Great Valley? I've never heard of such a thing. And if it does really exist, where is it? How will we find it? Or is it really just a story...? Her mind was filled with questions_.

Her pondering was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Loud footsteps. A herd of longnecks was on the move, it seemed. Maybe they know of the Great Valley. Miriam ran up to the herd, already almost out of breath from her short run. "E-Excuse me...!"

One of the longnecks turned, giving the smaller dinosaur a sweet smile. She had a long neck which looked like it could reach through the clouds, and a long whiplike tail. "What is it, little one?"

Miriam tried to catch her breath. "I was wondering...do you know of the Great Valley?"

The female longneck chuckled, tossing her head a bit to the side. "Oh yes, I'm headed there right now, actually. What would you like to know?"

"What makes the Great Valley so great? Why are so many dinosaurs trying to find it? Does it even exist?" Miriam questioned.

"The Great Valley is like a safe haven for plant eaters. It's a place with all the green food you can eat, and it's walls prevent sharpteeth from getting in. It truly is a magical place."

Miriam was actually quite impressed with that answer. "I see...well, thank you Miss...uh, say, what's your name?"

The longneck giggled. "Just call me Sue."

Just then, the leader of the herd roared for the members to pick up the pace. "Oh! Guess I gotta get going. It was nice meeting you...and what might your name be?"

"I'm Miriam." She said, letting a few chuckles escape her.

Sue smiled. "Well, Miriam. I truly hope to see you in the Great Valley one day. Bye!" And after a few moments, she was out of sight.

Miriam trudged back to her spot; she was exhausted. Though you couldn't really blame her. Being so weak was not fun in the slightest. She let out a sigh. _I think...I believe in the Great Valley. But should I tell mom and dad? Mom will be happy, but dad's convinced that the place doesn't exist._ After some intense thought, she made her decision. She marched into the cave, a bit nervous, but determined. However, it was a bit difficult to hide the uncertainty in her eyes. "Mom?" She called out, and as if on cue, Amelia rushed in. "Yes, Miriam? What is it?" She was followed by Tristan, who stopped next to her. Darn. Miriam had hoped he wouldn't be there. She could feel her father's eyes boring into her own. "Well? Out with it." He coaxed.

Miriam fiddled with her claws and tried to stall, but she knew she'd have to say it sooner or later. "I...I want to go to the Great Valley." She braced herself for their reactions, and they were just as she had expected. Her mother placed her hands on her cheeks, hardly able to contain herself. "Oh, Miriam! Really?"

Tristan took a few moments to process what he had just heard. "Ohhhh, no. No no no, no."

"But I talked to a longneck who was traveling to the Great Valley outside. Even she believed it exists."

Tristan didn't budge. "No."

Amelia put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle smile. "Dear, you'll never know if it exists or not if you don't try to find it. Please..." Amelia's sea blue eyes shone, pleading to him.

Tristan huffed as he tore away from Amelia in frustration. "...I need to be alone." He mumbled before storming away.

"Wait, dad! I-" Miriam called, but Amelia stopped her. "Leave him be. He needs some time to himself." She commanded gently. Miriam sighed and gave a nod of her head. Her mother was right. This was a rather touchy subject for her father. He was raised to believe that things such as the Great Valley were luxuries that did not exist in reality, and that he had to fight to survive.


	2. Chapter 2: Mackenzie

**Hello! So this is my first Land Before Time story, and I'm glad it's already got a follow. It really means a lot and inspires to keep updating, so thank you! This chapter is more centered around Mackenzie, and it will explain her actions in a later chapter. Also, I should mention that the events of this chapter take place on the same day as the first one. I'd appreciate some feedback as well. Enjoy and have a good week!**

The teenage rainbow face woke up with a jolt, her body shaking almost uncontrollably. Mackenzie wondered why she would even dream of her family journeying to the Great Valley, but leave her to fend for herself in the mysterious beyond. For one thing, her father was against the mere thought of ever leaving the home they had made for themselves. But obviously her sleep story meant _something,_ otherwise she wouldn't have had it at all. Howeve, there was no point in pondering about it now, so Mackenzie just tried to go back to sleep. Just as she felt herself succumbing to the darkness, a voice called her name. Was it morning already? Mackenzie groaned, turning her head in the opposite direction when Amelia nudged her, trying to get her to stir. "Wake up sleepyhead, morning is already here." When Amelia got nothing but a sad whine from Mackenzie, she furrowed her eyebrows in suspicion and concern. "Another bad sleep story?"

Mackenzie wondered how she could tell, but then again, Amelia was her mother. It would be foolish to try to keep a secret from her. Nonetheless, she nodded her head.

Amelia took a seat next to her daughter, sliding an arm around Mackenzie's shoulder as a comforting gesture. "Now tell me, what happened in this one?"

Mackenzie hesitated for a moment. "...You, dad, and even Miriam all left for the Great Valley but left _me_ here...I don't know what I did, but you left me all alone. Would you really do that...?"

Amelia used her tail to bring Mackenzie a bit closer. "Oh, sweetie. That would never happen in reality! And your father's against the idea of going to the Great Valley. But even if we did journey there, we'd never leave you behind. Miriam would be so lonely without you...and so would we."

Mackenzie still felt unsure, but she was thankful for her mother's logic. "Thanks, mom."

"Good girl," Amelia chimed as she stood up. "Hurry up now, breakfast should be ready any moment now." And she walked out, followed by Mackenzie several moments later. Both dinosaurs expected the tree stars that Miriam and Mackenzie's father, Tristan, said he would gather to be organized into a pile, but instead, they found the male dinosaur nearly buried under the green food.

Amelia walked over to her husband, trying her best not to laugh. "A bit jumpy today, are we, Tristan?"

Tristan's response consisted of mostly stammers.

"You're adorable," Amelia commented to prevent Tristan from probably dying of embarrassment.

Tristan however, disagreed with that statement. Him and Amelia argued until they came to a compromise.

Mackenzie felt like she was going to be sick. She wasn't exactly too fond of the sappy displays of affection her parents used. Not only that; she also felt sick because of the sleep story that kept on replaying in her mind over and over again. Why couldn't she forget this sleep story and just remember all the good ones? She almost let a whimper slip through her mouth, muffling it just in time. But Mackenzie was getting impatient.

"Okay, we all know how much you two love each other. Now if you don't mind, I'd like some breakfast. I didn't get up for nothing, you know." She commented.

Amelia chuckled. "Right," she gathered a handful of tree stars, placing them in front of Miriam and Mackenzie, who were quick to dig into their food, despite their mother's warning to take it slow. "Okay, okay! There's plenty to go around, kids."

"Sorry, mom," Miriam was the only one who actually apologized. Typical.

"Yeah, we're just hungry." Mackenzie added. It wasn't really an apology, but it wasn't like Mackenzie cared too much. As she nibbled on her tree star, Mackenzie heard her parents talking. She didn't hear much, just little bits of their conversation. From what she could gather, they said something about this 'valley'. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Miriam shuffling over to her mother, and by her hand gestures, it seemed as if she was asking for permission to go outside. She was right. Mackenzie watched as her sister left. _Great. As if it wasn't awkward enough already._

Just the thought of Miriam leaving was enough to remind Mackenzie of her sleep story. She began waving her tail anxiously, unaware that her father was right behind her. And with one unsuspecting wave, her tail hit the back of Tristan's leg, causing him to lose his balance and fall. Again.

Mackenzie immediately turned around and realized her mistake. "Oh dad, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, I swear! Please don't be mad..."

Tristan mumbled as he got back on his feet, shaking the dust off his tail. "It's quite alright, it was an accident. But you're acting like you through the great circle on me or something. You usually just say sorry. What's gotten into you?"

"Nothing...really, I'm fine." Mackenzie tried to pull off a smile.

Tristan knew better. "I've heard that one before."

Mackenzie had to think of an excuse. And quick. Or...she could just tell the truth. Nah. Okay, maybe she could. But there was no harm in changing the story around a tad bit, right? "Dad, it was just a sleep story. It kept me up all night, so that's why I'm a little off today."

Tristan was still a but suspicious, but decided not to push it much further. "Okay...are you sure?"

Mackenzie gave a quick nod of her head. "Mhm!" And before Tristan had the chance to interrogate her any further, Mackenzie darted to her corner of the cave. And she planned to stay there for the rest of the day. Letting anyone other than her mother know that she was so scared over a sleep story would hurt whatever dignity she had.


	3. Chapter 3: The Odd Sharptooth

**Hello again! It's been a week (or almost a week) since I updated, and I apologize. I would've updated much quicker since I already have some of the chapters of this story written out, but I got busy. I will try to update more regularly though. So both Mackenzie and Miriam have prominent roles in this chapter and the sharpteeth that they encounter will play a bigger role later on (they're Spinosauruses by the way.) Enjoy!**

After yesterday's...argument about whether or not to travel to the Great Valley, Amelia and Tristan hadn't spoken to each other all day; it seemed like they were practically trying to avoid each other. They did use small forms of communication, such as hand gestures and movements of their head, but they didn't engage in an actual conversation. It was almost completely silent, save for the sounds of the other animals which resided in the area.

When it came time to turn in for the night, Mackenzie skittered over to where Miriam slept. Miriam had been making herself comfortable by adjusting the blades of grass in her bed of grass with her feet. When she had finished, she noticed Mackenzie just standing there. "Mackenzie? What are you doing here? And where were you all day?"

Mackenzie raised her index finger, as if she was going to give a reason for her actions, but she had none. "Yeah, about that," she began. "Bad sleep story. I was wondering if I could sleep with you, just for tonight?"

Miriam blinked. "I thought you were 'Mackenzie the Fearless'. Whatever happened to that title?"

Mackenzie huffed and folded her arms across her chest. Her sister was rather opinionated for someone so weak. "Well, for now I'm 'Mackenzie the Scared'. Okay?"

Miriam shook her head, chuckling as she did so. "Relax. I was only teasing. Of course you can sleep with me tonight." She scooted over to make room for her sister, and soon enough, they were both sound asleep.

The next morning, Miriam was the first to get up. It came as a bit of a surprise to her, for she rarely ever got up before the bright circle rose. The mysterious beyond looked mysterious as always, but she never got to see it like this. The mist had engulfed most of the land in a foggy blanket, making everything look eerily mysterious. It was an intriguing sight for an adolescent dinosaur who hadn't seen much of the world, and for Miriam, it was. Her curiosity was suddenly sparked, so she slowly edged away from her sister who was still asleep. She had to take small and quiet steps so she wouldn't wake her, and when she had just stood up, Miriam heard her name. So much for trying to be stealthy.

"Miriam?" Mackenzie mumbled in a questioning tone. "Where are you off to so early?"

"Oh, uh...just taking a walk." Well, it wasn't a _complete_ lie.

Mackenzie narrowed her eyes. "Ugh, what is it with you and walks?"

"Well, at least it keeps me healthy." Miriam countered, trying to keep the rudeness out of her voice.

Mackenzie looked offended. Well, as offended as someone as tired as her could be. "Are you saying I'm _not_ healthy?"

Miriam gave a light shrug. "No...I'm just saying that being healthy doesn't include doing almost nothing but eating and sleeping. You need to go outside _once_ in a while. And keep your voice down, mom and dad are still sleeping. You could come with me if you'd like?"

"Yeah, no thanks." Mackenzie spat, going back to sleep.

Her response didn't really affect Miriam in any way, so she thought nothing of it and continued on her way. As she grew farther and farther away from the gave, she noticed how thirsty she was. A visit to the watering hole seemed to be in order. Although, Miriam was a bit unsure about that thought. She had never gone to the watering hole without her parents. Then again, there was a first time for everything. And she had gone there enough times to know the way there by heart. It wasn't too far from her home, but it was close enough to the sharptooth territory, which was why her parents always accompanied her there.

As she made her way over to the watering hole, she could already see the light of the bright circle causing the watering hole to sparkle, like it was a pond of stars. Once there, Miriam didn't hesitate to dunk her head into the water, and take a drink. It was so soothing against her dry mouth. Everything was so peaceful at that very moment. Although that peace was soon interrupted by the sound of rumbling, and the shaking of the water which caused it to splash everywhere. Miriam quickly pulled her head out of the water, only to see two sailback sharpteeth. One was an indigo color, while another was a nice eggplant purple, and slightly bigger than the other. These kinds of sharpteeth got their name from the huge sails on their backs, and they were bigger than normal sharpteeth. They were running in Miriam's direction, but they didn't seem to be searching for prey. Their eyes didn't have that glare of fierce determination. Instead, it seemed as if they were...running from something? That was a first. In most cases, other dinosaurs were running _from them._ Or so Miriam heard.

The two sharpteeth darted towards the watering hole, so Miriam quickly steered clear of them while attempting to dodge their feet. Those feet were gigantic, and could probably crush someone to death. Now Miriam knew why other dinosaurs avoided sharpteeth at all costs. Almost every part of them was lethal. Their long tails could sweep a dinosaur off their feet with just one swipe, and their teeth could probably bite through a boulder.

Miriam had noticed this in just a few quick seconds of observing the sharpteeth. And just when she thought she was safe, the ground shook again. Maybe whatever caused the shaking was what the sailback sharpteeth were running from? She didn't get much time to ponder on it, because she looked up to see a foot. It didn't seem much bigger than those of the other sharpteeth, and Miriam wondered it was the huge sails on their backs that made them bigger. As she examined the sharptooth, she noticed the striking resemblance he had to someone she had heard of. This particular sharptooth was brown, with one red eye which had a scar under it that led all the way to the left claw of his right hand. The blood from the scar seeped into the claw, turning it a blinding red. She had heard several stories about a sharptooth who looked just like him. He was described as the biggest and meanest sharptooth of them all. _Could it be? Was this...Red Claw?_ She didn't get a chance to think about it any further, because she was soon pushed out of the way. When Miriam sat up, she saw Mackenzie right beside her, and they could both see Red Claw continuing his hunt.

Miriam shook her head; she was certain she hit a few rocks when Mackenzie pushed her out of the way. "Mackenzie?"

Mackenzie didn't even ask if Miriam was alright. She just cut straight to the point. "What were you thinking? You almost got killed by Red Claw! Would it hurt you to be a little more careful at times?!"

"Sorry..." Was all Miriam could say, because Mackenzie was right. If it hadn't been for her, Miriam probably would have been dead already.

Mackenzie simply let out a sigh of irritation as she massaged her temples. "Whatever. Let's just go home. Mom and dad are going to kill us if they find us gone."

However, their parents had already found out about their disappearance. And they were worried sick.

"Tristan, don't worry. They'll come back. They couldn't have gone far..." Amelia tried to reassure her husband, and hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "...I know I shouldn't talk about this, but...this is exactly why I think we should go to the Great Valley. That way, we won't have to worry about losing them if they wander off."

Tristan's eyebrows creased into a thin line. Amelia had a good point. But he was persistent. "...We'll be fine."

It took all of Amelia's willpower to not scowl at him or push the issue any further. "Fine."

Miriam began heading the way she came until she was stopped by Mackenzie. "Wait! I have a shortcut."

Miriam showed a bit of reluctance before answering. "Okay...what is it?"

"You see those trees?" Mackenzie pointed to a small forest of trees not far from where they were standing. "You just have to cut straight through the trees, and once you've done that, there's a path in between those two cliffs. Just take that path and bam, we're home!"

Miriam considered this for a moment. It was definitely a much shorter route than the one she had used, which had made her weary. But she had heard of dinosaurs who took shortcuts and ended up getting lost in them forever. But even so, it couldn't hurt to take the short way around, right? And they wanted to get home as quickly as possible. So, she and Mackenzie had ended up taking the shortcut.

"We're almost home," Mackenzie said, to which Miriam nodded. "We better be, because I don't want to be getting yelled at."

Mackenzie was about to say something more, but was interrupted by the sound of agonized roaring. Both dinosaurs shifted their attention to the source of the noise; the same indigo colored sharptooth that had been running from Red Claw. She seemed to have slipped, and several vines messily entangled her foot. She struggled to reach for the vines that had trapped her, letting out more agonized roars when she ended up slipping again with each attempt. Miriam felt bad for her. She began approaching the sharptooth, when she was suddenly stopped by Mackenzie. "Miriam! What are you doing?"

Miriam didn't even flinch. "I'm only setting her free. If another dinosaur is in trouble, then we should help them regardless if they're a sharptooth or not. Besides I saw her running away from Red Claw with another sharptooth like her earlier. Maybe they have eggs, or children at home. We have no right to deprive the children of their mother."

Mackenzie looked at her sister as if she had gone mad. "What? She'll kill you if you set her free! Run! Go, now!"

Miriam didn't change her mind, and continued walking towards the sharptooth, who was baring her teeth. As Miriam got closer, the sharptooth snarled, as if trying to warn her off, but Miriam didn't flee. She was an inch away from the sharptooth, and stopped. Normally if a dinosaur got this close, they were already dead or in the sharptooth's stomach. Miriam then hopped onto the sharptooth's nose, stumbling a bit as she met her huge sky blue eyes. Miriam could see her reflection in them, and they gleamed like sapphires. "How beautiful..." Miriam whispered in awe. The sharptooth, however, seemed surprised. This plant eater wasn't screaming in fear or running away. Instead, Miriam slowly made her way over to the sharptooth's foot, having to spread out her arms to maintain her balance. Eventually, she made it. She took the vines into her hands, snapping through them with her teeth. She let the vines fall to the ground, and before the sharptooth could move, Miriam hopped off. "There you go."

As soon as the sharptooth was back on her feet, she let out a powerful roar. One that definitely belonged to a predator. She brought her head down to Miriam's level, giving the rainbow face a sloppy lick of affection. Just then, a much louder roar sounded, and the eggplant purple sharptooth from earlier appeared. The female sharptooth stopped paying attention to Miriam, and immediately rushed over to her...mate? They shared a quick embrace as they touched noses, grunting gently. They really loved each other, it seemed. The male grunted something to the female, and soon they were both gone. A small smile tugged the corners of Miriam's mouth upwards as she watched them stomp away, their tails bobbing up and down with each step.

"Okay, now that that's over...we should probably get going!" Mackenzie urged not so gently.

Miriam tutted, unable to resist the force of her sister's pushing. "Alright, alright! No need to get so pushy."

Meanwhile, Amelia was trying her hardest to resist the urge to chew on her own claws out of her nervousness and worry. Normally, she wouldn't be so worried as her daughters liked to wander around quite a bit. But in this case, they left without telling anyone. There was no telling how far they might have gone by now.

Tristan on the other hand, just groaned under his breath as his chocolate brown eyes narrowed. Amelia shifted her worried gaze over to him, and Tristan immediately knew what she was feeling. "Amelia, relax. You said it yourself, they'll be fine." He said in a slightly annoyed voice. This was clearly getting under his skin.

Amelia wasn't satisfied. Her sea blue eyes were fixated onto the landscape, desperately searching for a sign of either Miriam or Mackenzie.

Tristan felt bad for being so cranky. So, he loosened up a bit and moved closer to his mate. "Hey...I'm worried too. But all we can do right now is try not to worry and believe they'll be back." Amelia nodded, but was still worried. She was a mother, after all. She couldn't help being worried for her children.

Just as the two parents were about to go searching for their children themselves, Miriam and Mackenzie walked in.

Amelia wanted so badly to pull the both of them into a hug, but she conveyed her worry by talking instead. And her tone of voice came out differently than intended. "Where. Have. You. Two. Been?!" Even Tristan flinched at the sudden rise in her voice.

Miriam looked to Mackenzie, who shook her head as if telling her to just make up some story instead of telling the truth. But Miriam would never be able to live with the guilt of lying to her parents. "Well...I woke up early and decided to go off on my own for a bit. I-I assumed I would be back soon enough...or at least before you and dad woke up."

Amelia raised a skeptical brow, giving her daughters a glare. She could be cold when she wanted to be. "Mhm. And where exactly did you go? What happened there?" She questioned, her voice rising a few octaves.

"I just went to the watering hole. Mackenzie came along later. I planned to go home after a short drink and a bit of looking around but then there were sharpteeth-"

"Wait, sharpteeth?!" Tristan intervened suddenly. "Are you two alright? What made you think it was a good idea to go off on your own?" He sounded more like he was yelling at Miriam and Mackenzie rather than just asking them a few simple questions. But his yelling made Amelia realize something. She yelled at her daughters just a few moments ago because she was worried about them, she never truly meant to yell. That was why Tristan yelled so much. He was just worried about the safety of his family. Honestly, she was somewhat glad that Miriam and Mackenzie had wandered off. It gave her a chance to see things from Tristan's perspective. However, the sound of Tristan's yelling found a way to bring her back to reality. She put a hand on his shoulder to catch his attention, then gesturing to Miriam and Mackenzie, whose heads were hanging in shame.

Tristan sighed, his expression softening a little, but the slight softening wasn't very noticable. "Just...tell someone before you decide to go off an an adventure, okay? We don't want this happening again." He looked to his daughters before walking off.

Mackenzie was clearly angry, and was about to say something until her mother put out a hand to tell her not to press the issue. She knew her daughter would say something in a fit of anger, which was not what Amelia wanted. Then Mackenzie stormed off as well, leaving only Miriam and her mother.

"Mom?" Miriam began as she walked over to Amelia.

"Yes?" Amelia responded gently.

"I helped a sharptooth...is that bad?"

Amelia motioned for her daughter to take a seat next to her, which Miriam did. "Miriam...I-I don't know. While that is a great act of kindness which I have never seen done by anyone before, you also know that they're our greatest enemy. We're always on the run from them. So it's a bit hard to say whether what you did is a bad thing. But I'm glad you're growing up to be such a sweet girl."

Miriam threw her arms around her mother, pulling her into a tight hug. Secretly, Miriam was glad she didn't leave that sharptooth to be trapped in those vines forever. Maybe she and that other sharptooth did have a child, and if they did, Miriam really did hope that maybe, just maybe, they could become friends one day.


	4. Chapter 4: Adam

_**Hello, everyone. It's been a while since my last update, and that's mainly because of exams and school, but also because of my own laziness. But! I'm back, and hopefully I'll be updating regularly (probably once or twice a week). Just a heads up, this chapter introduces several new characters, and not all of them may have a nice fate...but I won't spoil anything. Enjoy!**_

"Mom, do we really have to do this?" Mackenzie complained, "what's the point?"

Amelia was in no mood for protests. All she wanted was to ensure the safety of her only two children. "Yes, Mackenzie," she said through a sigh, "you have to. If you try and make some friends, then maybe you and Miriam won't have to resort to wandering off."

"Where are we going, anyway?" Asked Miriam. She was more obedient than Mackenzie on this matter.

"To spend some time with another rainbow face herd," Amelia stated, cutting straight to the point. "I saw them when I was gathering tree stars for you girls the other day."

"Do you know anyone from that herd?" Questioned Mackenzie. "How can we even trust them?"

"Have you ever heard the saying 'a leader protects his own'?" Inquired Amelia, and both Miriam and Mackenzie shook their heads in unison.

Amelia rubbed the back of her neck, already on edge. "We're rainbow faces. So are they. It doesn't matter if we know them or not, they'll still be willing to protect us."

...

The herd of rainbow faces lived in a more open area, where there weren't as many rocky cliffs or mountains. They were spread out across the grass, using their claws to rip green food from it's roots before shoving it into their mouths.

"What now?" Muttered Tristan, who still felt a bit out of place despite being surrounded by several others of his kind.

Amelia opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by an all too familiar voice.

"Amelia? Is that really you?"

Amelia feared that the voice she heard was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, so from the corner of her eye, she glanced in the direction of the voice. It was then that she realized this was no illusion. She turned around, sea blue eyes moist with tears of joy as she placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her squeals.

"Molly!" She exclaimed, running to the other dinosaur, wrapping her in a tight embrace.

"I had no idea you lived around these parts! I thought for sure that I would have to live the rest of my life without seeing you again." Molly then took Amelia's hands in her own, glowing with excitement. The two were clearly the best of friends.

"How long have you lived here?" Inquired Amelia, her face showing the same delight and excitement.

"Our herd moved here some time after you left with Tristan," answered Molly. "You probably never really saw us around much since we prefer the open grasslands where there's more green food." She pointed to the blades of grass to emphasize her point. "Speaking of Tristan, where is he?"

As if on cue, Tristan emerged from behind Amelia. "Hey Molly. Long time no see." He greeted, offering the smallest of smiles.

"So, how have you been? Done anything...interesting lately~?" Teased Molly.

Tristan rolled his eyes and shook his head disapprovingly. Molly hadn't changed one bit.

Miriam had been trying to get a better view of what was happening, so she peeked her head out from behind her mother's leg. But she leaned to far and ended up falling over, landing right in front of Molly, and Mackenzie had to walk in and retrieve her sister.

Molly raised a brow in amusement, "Oh, so you _have_ been busy!"

Tristan felt his muscles tighten as he scowled at her. "Shut up," he griped, tackling Molly, who was hardly affected by it, and kicked him off with her feet. But Tristan soon got up, huffing as he shook the dirt off his tail.

Molly gave an amused grin. "What's the matter, pops? Are the kids stressing you out?"

"No they're not, and my kids are none of your business," hissed Tristan.

"Tell that to her," Molly retorted, pointing to Amelia. "She brought her kids here."

It took all of Amelia's willpower to prevent herself from laughing. "Y-Yes. I brought them here so that they could spend time here and be safe with the herd. And it'll keep them from wandering off."

Molly gasped suddenly, "they can spend time with my sons!"

Amelia immediately warmed up to the idea, although she had never met Molly's sons, for she had left when they were still eggs. But she had faith in her friend.

Tristan, on the other hand, being the protective father he was, was quick to reject the offer. "Over my dead body."

"I'm sure Molly will tell them to behave," reasoned Amelia.

Tristan wasn't buying it. "And what if they don't? I think-" he was cut off by a laugh. He knew exactly who the laugh belonged to, and he prepared himself for whatever was coming his way. The voice belonged to a male rainbow face about two heads taller than Molly. He had grayish green eyes which were like smooth chunks of ice. But they always softened when they caught sight of Molly.

"Michael!" Exclaimed Molly as she pulled him into a loving hug. She was definitely stronger than she looked, because she had Michael gasping for air.

"Molly- I can't breathe-" he wheezed.

"Sorry," she giggled and released him from the hug.

Amelia noticed how close the two were. "Oh! So you two _did_ end up together! I'm so happy for you two!"

Tristan scoffed. "I'm surprised." He commented, which earned him a not so gentle nudge in the shoulder from Amelia.

Michael and Molly touched noses for a moment before Michael shifted his attention to Tristan. "Oh, hush."

Tristan smirked.

"Anyway," began Michael, "your daughters will be fine. Here, I can introduce my sons right now if it would help you sleep at night." He suggested, sarcasm lacing his voice.

"Fine," Tristan finally agreed.

"Gabriel, Adam! Boys, could you come over here?"

Two younger rainbow faces who looked a bit older than Miriam and Mackenzie ran up to Michael.

"Yeah, dad, what is it?" Gabriel, the larger of the two, questioned. Adam stayed him, hiding behind his brother's tail.

"I want you to meet these two young ladies," Michael gestured to Miriam and Mackenzie.

"Why, hello," Gabriel greeted. "I am Gabriel. What are your names?"

Miriam introduced herself first. "I'm Miriam," she the gestured to Mackenzie, who groaned under her breath. "And I'm Mackenzie..."

Gabriel smiled at the both of them before shifting his attention to Adam. "Come on, Adam. You can't avoid everyone. Now go say hi, or I won't save any tree stars for you."

This only made Adam cower more, and he hid further behind Gabriel's tail. Gabriel simply stepped away, and nudged Adam forward. Hiding was now out of the question.

He glanced at Mackenzie, who only gave him a cold stare. When he got to Miriam, she gave a much better reply. A smile. The most beautiful smile Adam had ever seen.

"Uh...hello, I-I'm Adam.."

"It's very nice to meet you, Adam." Miriam said. Her voice was gentle, as if she were speaking to a frightened hatchling. This made Adam's gray blue eyes widen. Save for his parents and his brother, no one was ever that gentle with him before. Because of how much he detested social situations, all he would usually hear was 'Adam, why aren't you doing this?' or 'Adam, why aren't you like that?'.

Even though it was rather obvious, Adam would never admit out loud that he was lonely. He wanted someone who he could enjoy talking to, someone who didn't put pressure on him, someone who...understood him. After some thought, Adam cleared his throat. "Um...would you like to talk somewhere a bit quieter? Or maybe less crowded?"

Miriam blinked. Did she just make a friend? Was this how you befriended someone?

"I'd love to."

The joy wasn't too visible on Adam's face, but a small smile tugged on the corners of his mouth as he walked away with Miriam. He always wanted to show someone his favorite place, but everyone was either too busy, or just didn't care. But that didn't matter now, because right now, Adam was too happy for his own good. Miriam found it cute. But what she didn't realize was that she had just left Mackenzie to stand there all alone. She never meant to, of course, but would Mackenzie understand that?

When Miriam and Adam reached their destination, Miriam was amazed. The place was beautiful. It was right in front of a gorge, with one tree sweet tree, whose petals were already beginning to drift towards the earth. Underneath the tree, there was a rock, just bug enough for two dinosaurs to sit on. Nearby, there was a pond with green food sprouting in the shallow end of the water. It was like an oasis.

"So, what do you think?" Adam asked, his usually dull eyes lit with excitement.

"Oh- -it's beautiful," Miriam said, voice barely above a whisper as she took a seat upon the rock. The tree sweet petals gently brushed against her scales as they fell. "You're so lucky. This amazing place...all to yourself. If I knew of it earlier, you wouldn't find me sneaking off to avoid dying of boredom."

Adam dipped his finger in the pond, watching the ripples in the water grow with each passing second. "Well, it's real nice to look at. But you see that gorge over there?" He gestured to it with his nose, "It makes it a lot easier for sharpteeth to get in." Adam gulped; he wasn't so fond of the fact that his favorite place was so close to sharptooth territory.

Miriam gave a sympathetic smile. "It's alright. I mean, you have protection, don't you? As long as you don't stray too far from the herd, you'll be fine."

Adam sighed a bit resignedly. "Yeah, I guess that's true."

The two passed the time by spending it with each other, and it was soon time to head home. They didn't even realize how quickly the time flew by.

The next day, Miriam went to visit Adam again. Gabriel accompanied her fir a short while, but was soon summoned by his father to help pick some berries. They taught each other new things. Adam taught Miriam how to hang onto tree branches, while Miriam taught Adam how to get the deliciously moist green food that grew underwater. But despite how happy the two were, Mackenzie was left alone once again.

Mackenzie tried to stay positive, but it was difficult. She just kept on trying to convince herself. _It's alright, Miriam just made a new friend, so it's natural for her to be excited. She wouldn't just forget about me. I mean, we're sisters..._

But instead of moping about it, Mackenzie simply decided to roam and observe the herd. Although just watching dinosaurs eat and eat got boring and tedious after a while. However, there was one place she hadn't explored yet. Slithering through the grass, she made her way to the place where Adam and Miriam liked to hang out. She stayed low, watching them from a distance.

It was a rare sight to see Adam thus overjoyed, and seeing him this talkative came as an even bigger surprise. Then, Adam said something which made Miriam laugh. "You're amazing," she commented in between bursts of laughter as she shook her head.

This made Mackenzie envious. She was letting her jealousy cloud her good judgement. And now, to her, it seemed that her sister was just ditching her for some cute boy she met. It made her blood boil. She was so angry and focused on the two dinosaurs, that she didn't even notice sauntering through the grass, and she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice.

"It's nice to see that Adam's made a friend, don't you think?" Gabriel inquired, navy blue eyes calm and serene as always. His voice had been so sudden that Mackenzie yelped, which gave her away.

Miriam and Adam turned around, a look of confusion on Miriam's face. "Mackenzie? West are you doing here?"

"Looking out for you, like a sister should. It's too bad that you've forgotten me and ditched me for Adam."

Miriam felt terrible. She extended a hand out to her sister, "I didn't forget you-"

"Well, it sure feels like it!" Mackenzie hollered before Miriam could complete her sentence.

"We're only friends..." Miriam tried to reason.

"That's what they all say!" Mackenzie shouted before darting past her sister and disappearing into the gorge.

"Mackenzie, wait!" Miriam started to go after her sister, but was stopped by Gabriel.

"Don't. There's no sharpteeth in that gorge for miles. And I doubt she'll go that far."

Littlr did the three of them know, Gabriel was wrong.


	5. Chapter 5: Departure

**Hello! Sorry that it's been so long since my last update (11th grade is hard orz). But anyway, I finally managed to clear some time and post this chapter! It may feel that some of these characters were barely introduced, but there will be more to these characters, and this chapter is important for the development of certain characters. This chapter may be sad, depending on how you see it.**

 **To the people that left reviews - thank you so much for your feedback! It really motivates me to continue writing, and while I may take forever to update and cannot guarantee regular updates, I do plan to see this story through all the way to the end.**

 **I'm a bit late on this, but rest in peace Kenneth Mars, the voice of Grandpa Longneck that I grew up with. I still can't completely bring myself to get used to the new voice of Grandpa Longneck in the new movie, but I definitely want to watch it.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading, and have a good week!**

Mackenzie ran deeper into the gorge, unable to subdue the array of emotions coursing throughout her body. As her feet beat against the dirt, she could sense a change in the air. No longer were the chirps and screeches of small animals audible, and a dusty brown mist surrounded her. There was something of an ominous nature looming nearby, but Mackenzie was unable to place her finger on what it was. She trudged forward, eventually catching sight of a figure in the mist. More than one figure, to be precise.

Fast biters. Three of them. They emerged from the fog, sniffing the air for a scent to follow.

In order to avoid being seen, Mackenzie retreated back towards the shadows. She edged away from the predators, darting towards the other side of the gorge. As she ran, the quick and intense movement of her feet blew some dust upon the trail that the fast biters had been relying on. The sudden change in scent caused a mix up as the fast biters stumbled around in disarray. However, one of them, standing at the front and center, shook it's head while it tried to decipher which scent it wanted to follow.

Mackenzie snickered in amusement, she'd never seen fast biters become quite so confused before. While they were distracted by the confusion, she made her escape.

Days turned into weeks, and Mackenzie continued to return to the gorge with each passing day. She found numerous new methods to confuse the fast biters, such as dousing and soaking her feet with mud.

One fateful day, Mackenzie prepared to set off once again, only to be stopped by her mother.

The eyes of the younger rainbow face widened with the slightest shock as sea blue eyes locked with jade green.

"Mackenzie," began Amelia in a firm tone of voice, "where exactly do you think you're going?"

"Nowhere," answered Mackenzie, who averted her eyes. It was clear for anyone to see that she was becoming highly irritable. "Nowhere important. Why?"

"Because, I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine," said Amelia. Her voice had simmered down to what was barely above a gentle whisper, quite like a breeze of wind. "Her egg will be hatching any moment now, and I want you to be there."

Mackenzie failed to suppress a soft groan; another sign that she was growing angrier. "But I don't know her," she huffed. "I'm not her family, so what do I care if I miss it?"

Amelia offered a reciprocal expression of displeasure, the gentle tenderness of her voice waning. "Mackenzie," she warned, "Diana is one of my closest friends, and one of Molly's as well. We see her as family. She never even had a real family growing up."

"That sounds like a _her_ problem," Mackenzie countered before disappearing into the generously growing blades of grass, marching away.

As much as it dismayed Amelia to see Mackenzie storm off, there was nothing she could do at the moment that wouldn't make it worse. This was simply a part of raising a teenager, and it often times proved to be quite the handful. Rather than allowing it to affect her, Amelia sauntered to where Diana and her mate rested, her watchful eye focused on the egg nestled between layers of grass.

Diana was a sturdy looking rainbow face, with a strong yet slender figure, and ecstatic teal eyes which looked towards Amelia gratefully. The other rainbow face, Andy, lifted his head out of the water to look at Amelia. With a mouth full of moist green food soaked in droplets of water, he offered a nod of his head as some form of a greeting. Light brown eyes, strained by the light of the bright circle, conspicuously watched each movement of the egg. Even the slightest tilt caused his eyes to roam.

However, when the egg budged, Andy's eyes remained fixated in one place as green food fell from his agape mouth.

Two feet forced their way out of the eggshell, the remaining shell cracking from the sheer force of the hatchling attempting to break free. A single piece of the egg covered the top of the baby rainbow face's head, covering it's eyes. With a gentle flick of her finger, Diana managed to remove the remaining piece, revealing a baby girl with gleaming turquoise eyes similar to her mother's.

A gasp of adoration quickly followed, along with a smile. Shifting her gaze towards Andy, her demeanor was nothing short of jovial. "Andy, look at her," she urged, her excitement mounting. "Isn't she cute? Our daughter is so cute!"

Andy watched the little hatchling with a look of exhilaration, a few chuckles escaping him when he saw the tiny rainbow face make an attempt to walk, which resulted in her tripping over her own feet.

He continued to watch, even as Diana scooped her newly hatched daughter into her larger hands, fingers carefully supporting the smaller dinosaur. Diana gave her a gentle nuzzle, which the hatchling shied away from initially. But upon realizing that the larger rainbow face meant no harm, she warmed up to her mother's touch.

Diana leaned slightly forward, holding the hatchling out to Andy like some kind of offering. Andy extended a hand, but quickly drew back.

Diana, who was making an attempt to be serious, burst into a fit of giggles. "Andy, she's your daughter too. You have just as much right to hold her as I do."

Andy glanced at his mate, and then at his daughter, a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. "She's so small and fragile," he whispered, unconfident. "What if I hurt her?"

"You won't," Diana reassured him. "Trust me. Now, just hold your daughter and say hi."

Andy, who did not wish to argue further, took his daughter into his hands. He supported her tiny body in the same way Diana did, a grin adorning his face when she cooed happily. "Diana, we still need a name for her. What should it be?"

She showed no hesitation as she uttered her answer, nothing but pure joy upon her features. "Sophie," she said. "Our little Sophie."

…

It had taken quite a bit of sneaking around and telling lies for Mackenzie to ensure that no one's suspicions were raised. As she trudged over the dirt, she was trapped by her own envy and loneliness, the weight of guilt making each step more difficult than the last. Once again, her emotions and thoughts were in disorganized shambles; all she could do was think of every wrongdoing she'd committed. She had behaved rashly towards her own mother, and had lied to her.

Lost in her own thoughts, Mackenzie was oblivious to the world around her. She hadn't been paying much mind to her surroundings, which startled her into emitting a soft squeak when she heard the sound of a stick snapping beneath the weight of her feet. Clearly, her reflexes were not catching up with her. She'd just noticed the fast biters, whose bitter red eyes glared into her own jade ones.

She could not hide. Now in plain sight, they could see her. They could smell her. Nothing she could do would outsmart them. Tensed and anxious, she tried to think of a quick solution to her predicament. In her panic, she ran undeviatingly towards home. Unbeknownst to her, she would be leading the fast biters directly towards the herd.

…

Who's an adorable little rainbow face?" Doted Diana, gently tickling Sophie. "You are, of course!" Sophie cooed in her innocent way, enjoying the attention. Suddenly, she stopped. When she gave a whimper, Diana protectively wrapped her tail around Sophie while Andy made an attempt to comfort the distressed hatchling.

Diana felt uncertain; she knew that many hatchlings could sense when there was something foul in the air. Andy dismissed it as nothing, but the parents soon realized what had given Sophie such a fright.

There was a hiss, a hiss that would frighten any dinosaur who wasn't a sharptooth of some kind.

Mackenzie zipped past them, frantic and scared. The fast biters quickly realized there was no need to chase Mackenzie any longer, for there was a whole herd they could feast upon. In an attempt to separate the herd, the biters made themselves known. As everyone quickly dispersed, Stricken with panic, Diana passed Sophie over to Andy.

Despite Diana's physical strength, Andy always had been the better runner. With a single fast biter on their trail, the two rainbow faces ran as fast as their legs could possibly carry them.

Eventually, they arrived at a ledge underneath which was a lake. Holding Sophie close to himself, Andy jumped, skipping across the water until he was once more on dry land.

"Diana!" He called. "Hurry!"

Diana gazed at Andy, and then at the lake. One end was quite deeper than the other. Behind her, Diana could see the fast biter quickly approaching.

 _Fast biters can't swim_ , she mused silently. She stood at the very end on the ledge, her claws barely dangling over the water. "Andy," her voice was despondent and sad as she directed her gaze towards him. "I love you. And please, make sure Sophie knows," there was a pause as she sucked in a breath, "..that I love her too." Then, unexpectedly; although Diana certainly saw it coming, the fast biter latched itself onto her body, digging it's claws and teeth into her bare flesh. As blood trickled from the open gashes in her skin, Diana felt a sensation of warmth travel through her body. A sharp gasp slipped though her mouth when it was suddenly replaced by a more frigid feeling, like frozen sky water pricking her skin. She looked up, teal eyes dreary and gloomy, yet so full of expression. Drawing in a quivering breath, her eyelids began to droop. "Andy," she whispered so quietly, so that no one else could hear, "I wish I'd spent every single moment of my life with you." It was then that her eyes dulled out into nothing, and her body inclined forward as she, along with the fast biter, fell into the lake below.

Andy watched as water splashed everywhere, some on himself, some on Sophie. He even watched the blood mix in with the water, creating streaks of deep red. Tears brimmed the corners of his eyes. He couldn't say anything, he couldn't think. He felt numb. Often times when he felt numb, his leg had fallen asleep or something of the sort, he felt somewhat relaxed. Comfortably numb. But this feeling, he felt paralyzed. He couldn't find the strength to move, or the strength to do anything except run.

…

Amelia felt panic rise in her chest as she, Molly, and Michael about their next course of action. Amidst all the chaos, Tristan seemed rather apathetic. No snarky remarks or shooting down the ideas of others. He was like a tree, simply standing there and doing absolutely nothing.

"We'll never make it to _your_ place in time," argued Michael. "There's three fast biters, they'll hunt us down." He took a moment to scan the area before pointing towards an opening on a ledge protruding from a cliff. "There! We can hide at mine and Molly's place."

Before they could take another step, Miriam intervened. "Where's Mackenzie?" She questioned. "We can't leave her out here!"

"I'll find her," announced Michael. "Molly, take everyone inside." Not wasting a moment, he ran off to find the adolescent rainbow face.

It didn't take nearly as long as Michael had anticipated, for he had somehow managed to evade the fast biters. As he began the climb to the cave, Mackenzie trailing close by, he noticed that there were no fast biters in view. As suspicious as it was, Michael thought nothing of it.

"Dad!" Adam called out, a smile bringing a certain light to his eyes. The smile was quite short lived, for Adam noticed something that caused to smile to run away from his face. "Watch out!"

Quickly, Michael glanced behind him. A fast biter. With a firm nudge, he pushed Mackenzie onto the ledge, to safety. His sage green eyes cold and determined, he jumped downwards one ledge, preparing to confront the fast biter.

"Michael, don't," protested Molly, who leaned slightly over the edge. "Just come inside. Please."

The piercing glare vanished from his eyes as he generously gave a smile. "Molly, don't worry. I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this so you don't have to worry. I'll be alright, and no matter what happens, you have to go."

Molly's eyes shone with tears. "Where? Where do I go? I can't leave you here with these fast biters!"

Michael remained silent, simply grinning at his mate. Then, he grew serious. "To the Great Valley." Not another word escaped his mouth as he hopped towards the biters, using his foot to shake several rocks loose from the cliff, burying both the fast biters and himself in an avalanche of rocks. As the rocks tumbled down the cliff, Molly caught a glimpse of Michael coiling his tail around his body. Once the noise had ceased, Molly listened for any hint of life. Nothing.

A strangled noise emitted form Adam as he watched with bated breath. Gabriel, who was effectively suppressing his emotions, placed a hand over his brother's eyes so as to turn him away from the terrible sight. He hardly seemed to mind that his hand was being drenched in tears.

Subsequently, they decided to settle in Amelia and Tristan's cave, at least for the current moment. It was far safer, regardless of whether there was much to eat.

…

"He's _not_ dead!" Argued Molly. "I know. He's much stronger than that, and I've seen him survive far worse things than a rock slide."

Amelia could only gaze at her friend with saddened eyes. Molly seemed completely convinced that Michael had survived, and it seemed to be more than a case of hysterics. She genuinely believed the words that came out of her mouth, paying no mind to if anyone else believed them.

Mackenzie was plagued by guilt, while everyone else was too mournful to utter a single word.

Eventually, Amelia ambled towards Tristan, whose eyes seemed fixed on the dirt and leaves that seemed to dance across the ground.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

Tristan glanced at her, his surly demeanor remaining the same. "Sorry for what?"

There was the slightest hesitation before Amelia resumed speaking. "…Michael was your best friend. I'm sure you miss him."

Tristan frowned. "He wasn't my best friend."

Amelia gave a tilt of her head as she questioned him further. "Then, who was your best friend?"

Tristan tried to recollect his memories; surely, there was someone he would call worthy of being his best friend. However, he had no such luck. "Oh. Wow." His voice was laced with surprise. "How in the world did _that_ happen?" A dejected sigh fled from his mouth. "But you're right, I do miss him. And now…I think we should go."

Amelia looked upwards, a knowing glint in her gentle eyes. She knew very well what he meant, and yet, the question still managed to escape her. "What?"

"We're leaving," answered Tristan, "to find the Great Valley.

"But I thought you didn't believe in the valley?" Responded Amelia, who added a light undertone of snarkiness to her voice.

Tristan immediately caught on to her smugness, but responded with a far stronger emotion in his voice. "Does it matter? Does it _look_ like we have a choice?"

Startled, Amelia shriveled away from him. He took notice, placing her hands atop his own. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry, you were just trying to lighten the mood."

Amelia smoothed her thumb over his skin as she flashed a brief smile, showing that his apology had been accepted.

Tristan continued on. "What I'm trying to say is that I can't afford to lose you or the girls, or anyone else. I don't want to take any chances. We have to leave, whether this valley is real or not."

Slowly, Amelia nodded her head. "Yes. I know."

Tristan permit himself one of his rare smiles, releasing his grip on Amelia's dainty hands. "It's settled then," he announced. "We leave tomorrow."

There was not a single objection. After the events that had taken place, the Great Valley was their only ray of hope.


	6. Chapter 6: Pterano

**Wow my writer's block actually didn't lost that long this time,,, anyway, hello! I managed to finish this chapter about a day or two before I go back to school, so this may or may not be the last update for a while (I will try to squeeze in a chapter when I can though). Also, this story will occasionally change focus. Meaning that each chapter will not be about the same character, and will switch every now and then. For example, this chapter focuses on Pterano, and so will several chapters later on in the story.**  
 **With that said, I hope you all enjoy and leave feedback. Thank you!  
**

Five cold times. Five cold times, Pterano hadn't seen his family. Truthfully, it had been much longer since he'd seen his mother and father, but it had been five long and harsh cold times since he'd talked to or even seen his sister, and his darling nieces and nephews. Often times, he would find himself gazing at the stars spilling across the night sky as he wondered, did Tress miss him nearly as much as he missed her? Did Petrie?

But despite his anguish, there was no one Pterano could put the blame on. This was entirely his doing, and he was serving his well-deserved punishment. In fact, he felt that this penance paled in comparison to what could have happened him had he not assisted in the rescue of the children when that mysterious stone of cold fire emerged.

On the bright side; at least Pterano would like to think of it as a bright side, his sentence had officially ended. But he was hesitant. He wasn't quite greeted with a warm welcome the last time he was in the valley. Rather, he was greeted with distrust and hostility. Who was to say that had changed? But...who was to say that it hadn't? There was only one way Pterano could find out for certain. He prepared to fly, but was unable to lift his feet, planted firmly on the callous ground. He did not wish to make a decision out of haste; he needed more time.

If Pterano did decide to stay, he would be able to spare himself the emotional pain caused by the harsh treatment he knew he would receive. But there was nothing for him here in this barren wasteland, nothing but never-ending loneliness. There was little to no food, and an abundance of sharpteeth. And maybe, there was a possibility that whatever was left of his family still loved him.

Ultimately, he decided to leave. Since food was so scarce, he took a drink of what little water he could find before taking to the sky. The journey was tiresome. Everywhere he looked, he was reminded of the life he once had. A happy one.

A mother longneck gently pulling her children out of the mud, placing them in a nearby puddle to clean them, it brought back memories of when he was a mere hatchling. Whenever given the chance, he would get himself filthy. And his mother would scold him, and then make sure he was clean once more.

The clouds seemed to steadily shift so that they formed a group of flyers; even the bright circle reminded Pterano of a flyer he once knew.

But none of these things stopped him on his journey. He continued soaring through the skies, until he saw it. His old home. Although much of it had eroded away, and had become a home for fast biters, Pterano still remembered clearly how it used to be. Tall, intricate, with rock formations that touched the sky.

He nearly got distracted as memories flooded his mind, but refocused on the task at hand. He took one last glance at the remnants of his old home as he flew away. Even as he continued on, he still thought about it.

... The flapping of wings echoed through the air as Pterano glided gracefully, eventually landing on a ledge which led to a small cavern of sorts. Several flyers sat in different parts of the cavern, conversing among each other, or keeping to themselves.

In a corner sat Tress, a flyer of a dark blue color akin to the night sky, with lighter blue accents. She was Pterano's sister. Quite honestly, he didn't think her to be too easy on the eyes. He didn't think her to be ugly, just nothing above average. To him, she had an intimidating and condescending aura; along with dark eyes and a mouth that always seemed to be curved into a tight frown. Her personality however, was something to marvel at. She was headstrong, and had no problem telling anyone off if she was annoyed by them, regardless of who they were. Many females in the herd looked up to and admired her for her strong and independent demeanor. Some males even attempted to befriend Tress to impress a girl they had their eyes on, or simply to win Tress over, but Randy soon won her affections.

Randy was a handsome young flyer, although he looked far younger than he actually was. His finely toned golden color radiated brightly like the sky when the bright circle was about to set, giving it a gleaming golden hue. Juniper green eyes shone forlornly as he gazed into the distance. His chin was tilted upwards as he tried to assume a graceful posture, but instead looked like he was trying to unsteadily balance something on the tip of his beak. This was exactly the reason why Randy often became an object of ridicule among flyers his age. He always tried to put on a facade of strength, only for it to backfire in some preposterous way. But as of late, he'd come to accept himself for who he was, rather than trying to be something he was not.

"Randy," complained Tress, strained eyes glancing upwards. "You're blocking the view, dear."

Randy was almost surprised into an apology, but quickly caught himself. "Mm, that's a shame. But it's even sadder that you don't know that I _am_ the view." His voice was loud, practically booming. However, it held a childlike innocence which made it less startling than it had the potential to be.

Tress gave him a certain look, her charming face masked with a look of polite discontent. But when she saw that shreds of confidence were showing themselves, she offered a knowing smile before turning on her side. Randy followed her actions, thrusting himself on top of her.

Pterano could see that if he tried to make conversation, he would only be brushed off due to the two flyers being completely immersed in their own little world of romance and laughter. He looked in the opposite direction, where two female flyers were balanced upon a stump. Their colors, periwinkle and lilac, seemed to compliment each other in the most perfect way.

The periwinkle flyer, Danielle, was petite and small. Gentle azure eyes shimmered like a watering hole on a bright day. Her beak was slightly open, slender arms wrapped around her delicate figure. According to the older flyers, she was ideal. Beautiful and calm. Demure and polite.

What set her apart from other beautiful females in the herd was her tail. She lacked the flap at the very end of it which would help her fly powerfully and make turns. Therefore, she was a rather lacking flyer, although her other qualities helped make up for the shortcoming. In spite of this, she never felt good enough. Even after she formed a relationship with another flyer, Sierra, she lived in a constant state of self doubt.

The other flyer was still somewhat of a stranger to Pterano. What he knew of her was that her name was Alexandra, and that she and his good friend Rinkus spent a good amount of time together. Alexandra, who preferred to be called Alex, was slightly more built than other girls she knew. She was pleasing to look at, with her gentle lilac color and blazing ice blue eyes which were as the night circle itself. When those bright eyes peered into someone else's, they held the promise that there was no one she wanted to see more, and that she would offer her full attention. She gave off an aura of fierceness, and yet, she seemed highly approachable and friendly. Being the daughter of the leader of the guard, she was used to having to converse with others. Including those she hardly knew at all.

"Pterano," she called, extending a single hand as she made an attempt to rise. "Is that you?"

Pterano's attention had been previously occupied, as he had been silently summing up the two flyers from afar. He almost didn't hear Alex call his name, but her voice was a certain kind, with an arresting fascination that would immediately grab someone's attention. He blinked once, eyes hardly widening as a polite smile appeared on his face. "Alex," he responded. "Greetings."

"You seem lost," Alex pointed out bluntly. "What are you thinking about? What are you hiding, Pterano?"

Pterano looked at her, confused. "I don't...I'm not..."

"I'm just kidding! I don't care," Alex intervened with a slightly condescending chuckle. "Bye." She redirected her attention back to the smaller flyer sitting beside her, seemingly forgetting all about Pterano.

Pterano prepared to leave, but then it occurred to him that he'd come here for a reason. "Have either of you seen Kyra?"

"Oh, she's off with Kiara," answered Alex. "Something about singing with someone who'd appreciate it."

Pterano felt slightly offended. There was a clear passive-aggressiveness in Alex's voice which the female flyer hardly bothered to hide. "Is she still angry...?"

Alex looked Pterano directly in the eye, and scoffed. Danielle, however, stood up. "What do you mean 'is she still angry'? Of course she is, and she has every reason to be. You insulted her singing!"

Unfortunately, Pterano had yet to realize his mistake. "I just said that she shouldn't get too invested," he argued. "She has a beyond beautiful voice, but she _is_ going to be a healer. Isn't she?"

Danielle stormed over to him, stopping inches away from his face. "But is that what she wants? She may know a great deal about healing, but she also enjoys singing. And if you cared about her, you'd support her in that."

Pterano was speechless. Danielle had shut him down so quickly, he was at a loss for words. Alex simply chortled in amusement. It had never occurred to Pterano to view the situation from that perspective. "Well, what should I do then? I would like to apologize, but would she even forgive me?"

"An apology would be a start," stated Danielle, "but whether or not Kyra forgives you is completely up to her. And if she doesn't, you should respect her decision."

As much as he loathed to admit it, Danielle was right. In fact, she'd already made several valid points. Pterano looked away, thinking hard. "Do you two have any idea where she might be?"

"Try the waterfall," suggested Alex.

Pterano blinked once, and then twice. Despite being vexed at him, Kyra still chose to be at the place where she and Pterano spent the most time together. He looked towards Alex and Danielle, smiling gratefully. "Thank you." With that, he flew off.

The waterfall was a tranquil and serene place, where the sound of water roaring and rushing blocked out any intervening noise. Right near where the water emptied into the lake was a large rock, upon which two flyers sat. One was a small and scrawny flyer the hue of the clouds when the night circle was high in the sky. Her eyes, although and somewhat stormy and the color of the river, twinkled with a turquoise colored light akin to the brightest star. She held the hand of a flyer who was about two heads taller than her. "I know that we can last forever," she sang, "and ever and ever, and more..." Her voice was delicate, like tiny droplets of sky water.

The taller flyer watched with endearment and amazement as the other harmonized beautifully. She was a bright yellow, a hue similar to that of the bright circle. Her eyes resembled the color of wilting tree stars which had lost their moisture, and were now crumbling away. "Oh Kiara," she exclaimed, absolutely ecstatic. "That was beautiful. Your voice is so beautiful. _You're_ so beautiful!"

Kiara offered a light laugh, beyond herself in happiness and delight. "Thank you, Kyra. But you're just as beautiful. Remember how every male in the herd wanted to be with you?"

"Yes," agreed Kyra, suddenly becoming more serious. "But you're beautiful on the inside. You were always there for me whenever I needed you, and you made a lot of sacrifices for others. You are too good and kind for anyone in this entire herd, even Charlie. Either way, I just want you to know that I love you. You're my best friend. Don't ever forget it."

Kiara's features softened, and she shook her head. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm glad I did it."

"My word, that's so sweet," interjected a voice.

Kiara and Kyra turned around to see Pterano, foot deep in the water. Kyra exchanged glances with her friend, who prepared to take off. "I should leave you two alone."

"Wait," insisted Kyra, "you can stay!"

"I can't," Kiara countered. "You two need to resolve this. And you'll need your privacy. Besides, I'm supposed to meet up with Charlie. I'll see you both later." With that said, she spread her wings and took to the sky. Once she was out of sight, Pterano occupied her spot on the rock. He gave Kyra a good-natured smile, but the female flyer averted his gaze.

Seeing that small gestures wouldn't get him anywhere, Pterano decided to cut straight to the chase. He edged closer to Kyra, taking a deep breath. "Kyra, dear...listen. I'm sorry."

Kyra still refused to lock eyes with him. "For what?"

"You _know_ what," replied Pterano. "What I said about your singing was wrong. I thought that I was doing what was best for you, but really, nobody can know what's best for you except for you. If singing is what makes you happy, then by all means, continue. I just want you to be happy." He went silent for a moment. "And it's completely your decision if you want to forgive me. If not, I understand...I am quite foolish, after all."

Kyra winced, a sigh escaping her before she finally looked at those dark but gentle eyes. "You're not stupid, Pterano," she began. "It's just that I take your dreams seriously. I support you, no matter what they may be. Because they make you happy. I just wanted the same..."

Pterano nodded his head. "I know. I should have been more considerate. But if singing makes you happy, then I'll support you. No matter what anyone else says."

Kyra flashed a tearful smile, burying her face in his chest. "I love you."

Pterano rested his head on her shoulder, coiling his arms around her in a loving embrace. "I love you too."

Soon, they flew back towards the cavern. Many of the flyers had left, leaving only the ones Pterano was familar with. Moments later, a flyer of Alex and Danielle's kind swooped in. He was bright pink, with a timid aura surrounding him.

"Alexandra," he exclaimed, approaching Alex with open arms. His heavily accented voice was smooth yet unsteady and rough.

Alex however, simply stood up and stretched before walking right past him. "I'm not listening to a word," she spat, wearing a sly grin.

He shook his head, giving a smug smile of his own. " _Alex_ ," he repeated, placing emphasis on the shortened version of his girlfriend's name as he swept her off of her feet.

Alex laughed, letting out a small snort. She placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter, but it escaped regardless. "Rinkus," she giggled, "put me down. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Yeah," agreed Randy. "We don't want a repeat of last time. Whoever you fall on top of this time might not let you off so easy."

Tress, who had her arms wrapped around Randy, permit herself a chuckle. The male flyer was certainly not the brightest one of his age, but he always managed to make Tress laugh. He had such a good outlook on things, and radiated positivity and happiness. Tress couldn't help but love him.

Rinkus scowled at Randy. "Not to worry, I've been working on my strength."

Alex briefly looked down at Rinkus' rapidly trembling arms. "Okay," she said flatly.

While the other flyers were distracted, another swooped in. He was a dusty light brown with piercing yellow eyes that almost always conveyed a feeling of rage. Danielle hadn't been paying much attention to the others, nervously fiddling with her talons as she stared at the cavern wall. Despite her timid and frail appearance, she was quite talkative and sometimes outspoken, preferring to have her attention occupied by something or someone.

The flyer approached her from behind, under the assumption that the element of surprise was on his side. However, Danielle saw his shadow loom over her. Startled, she turned around suddenly, her arm accidentally smacking the brown flyer in the face.  
"Sierra!" Her eyes were wide with surprise, but she seemed thrilled. Then, she realized that she'd accidentally assaulted him. "Oh- I'm so sorry!"

If it were anyone else, Sierra would have lost his already short temper. But he could sense the sincerity in her apology, not to mention he could never stay angry at her for very long. "It's fine. Ya didn't even hit me that hard." He looked towards his friend Rinkus, who was struggling with keeping his balance. "What's gotten into _him_?"

"I think he wants to prove a point," said Danielle, taking his hand into her own. "Anyway, how are you? Is everything better at home now?"

Sierra ran his free hand over his shoulder. "Yeah," he mumbled. "My ma wasn't hurt too bad, she only got bruised a little bit. She ought to kick that pathetic blowhard she calls her husband out, for her own good. And for her kids." He smiled at Danielle, caressing one side of her face. "Thanks for asking. I needed to get that off-"

Just then, Rinkus fell over, bumping into Sierra.

"Hey, watch it!" Sierra reprimanded him with a scowl.

Alex was now lying on top of Rinkus, a knowing look in her eyes. "I told you so," she cooed, shaking her head. "Although, I kind of like this better."

"Get off of me!" Rinkus laughed, pushing Alex off of his stomach. The two often engaged in such playful antics, providing a source of entertainment for their friends.

Pterano, who had been watching the entire thing unfold in silence, turned to Kyra. "Can you believe these are the flyers we're friends with, dear?"

"I'm still trying to figure out how," joked Kyra. "...But where's Kiara? And Charlie?"

Randy was the first to attempt to answer her question. He repeatedly intertwined his fingers, making several kissing noises, giggling childishly.

There were many occasions on which Kyra failed to understand her brother. This was one of them. Instead, she looked to Tress for answers.

"Charlie told us earlier not to look for him," Tress began to explain. "He said he wanted some alone time with Kiara, so they could be making babies right now. But Charlie also seems like he'd just want to talk to Kiara without anyone else there...so I don't really know for sure."

"I wonder if they'll have children before us," Kyra mused as she glanced over at Pterano.

Pterano smiled. "Have patience, dearest. Our time will come. I know it will."

... His reminiscing was suddenly interrupted by a large cliff, which he almost rammed into. However, he snapped out of his trance in the nick of time, and quickly evaded the rock.

Pterano returned his attention to his flight, letting out a dejected sigh. Those bittersweet memories were from days long gone. Those days weren't coming back, and Pterano had accepted that saddening truth. He would now have to make a new life for himself, and leave the old days behind. He looked back once more before continuing on his journey. He would now have to step dwelling on what was, and focus on what could be.


	7. Chapter 7: Dependence

**Hi, everyone. I know that my last update was in August, and I apologize for the long wait. I hope I haven't lost you guys! I've gotten a lot of writing (specifically for this story) done, and I hope that I can get the next few chapters posted soon...hopefully. Anyway, this chapter focuses on Amelia and Tristan's, and Molly's journey to the valley. I hope you guys enjoy it and have a great week!**

The bright circle, high in the sky, was shining brightly on the already dry land, making it even more dry. There was no green food in sight, and the once grassy land had turned to dirt. The water was no longer refreshing. It was warm and somewhat lumpy, muddled with filth.

When the night circle rose however, it seemed to cool down slightly. A small group of rainbow faces had slept the entire day, in spite of how uncomfortably hot it was, choosing to travel at night.

Amelia awoke to the sound of chirping, and a gentle breeze caressing her face. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, glimmering in the cool but dim light. She glanced over to see Tristan still sleeping peacefully, and nudged him in the side. "Tristan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Wake up. We need to get moving."

"Too early," Tristan mumbled drowsily.

Amelia usually did not put up with his laziness, but due to the extreme heat, she had an especially low tolerance. She stood up, and kicked him in the side. "We've been sleeping all day, now get up."

Tristan let out a groan, shifting his eyes over to his daughters, who were slumbering peacefully beside him. "Miriam, Mackenzie." He gently nudged them awake, rising to his feet. "It's night. We have to continue walking."

With great difficulty, Miriam and Mackenzie managed to rise as well. They were in no way used to this, as they more routinely awoke in the morning rather than the night. They, along with Gabriel and Adam, were rather lethargic due to the change. Soon enough however, the group of rainbow faces was on the move once again.

Molly, Amelia, and Tristan remained at the front. They led the way, constantly sniffing the air for anything of any significance, whether it was danger or food. Miriam trudged close behind everyone else, struggling to keep up. Her legs were weak, and she tired quickly.

Adam turned around, his icy blue eyes, with a hint of gray, widening a tad. He came to a halt, choosing to wait until Miriam caught up. As soon as she had, he resumed walking, although he made sure not to pass her. "Are you tired?"

"I'm afraid so," Miriam replied, nearly breathless. "I get tired easily. It's normal for me."

Adam looked at her, slightly concerned. "Shouldn't you tell your parents?"

Miriam offered a polite shake of her head. "I don't need to bother them. Besides, there's not much they can do. We have no choice but to walk, and I'm sure I can handle this much at least."

Adam was highly skeptical, but he couldn't deny that no one knew Miriam's body better than Miriam herself. The most he could do was offer his support. "Alright, if you insist…" he momentarily averted his gaze. "But if it gets really bad, you can just lean on me. Okay?"

Miriam smiled gratefully, glad that she had such a reliable friend.

Meanwhile, the immense heat was making Mackenzie increasingly snappish. "This is stupid and unnecessary," she grumbled to Gabriel. "It makes no sense to only travel at night."

"There's a reason for this," interfered Tristan, glancing at Mackenzie from the corner of his eye. "It's cooler at night, which makes it easier to travel. That's why we've been sleeping during the day."

Mackenzie scoffed. "I'd much rather have a sharptooth just kill me right now."

Her words earned a concerned glare from everyone, especially Amelia and Tristan.

"Mackenzie!" Amelia was scolding her, but there was worry in her voice. " _Please_ , don't say such a thing."

Gabriel wanted to express his concern for Mackenzie's self destructive tendencies, as he was genuinely worried about her, but had not quite yet recovered from recent events. "It's alright," he said flatly, feeling numb and detached. "I feel the same."

Mackenzie looked at the other rainbow face, her expression softening. She hadn't been looking for sympathy or kind words. She had simply been hoping for someone to understand what she was going through, and to reassure her that she wasn't alone. She gave Gabriel a crooked smile which appeared rather awkward, but in an endearing sort of way.

As the night dragged on, Miriam urged herself to continue moving forward without any grievances. " _The bright circle will rise again soon_ ," she constantly reminded herself. Unsurprisingly, the pain eventually became too much. She sat down on the ground, finally heeding her body's request to take a breather.

"Miriam?" Adam managed to keep the alarm out of his voice for Miriam's sake, as he was well aware that she wouldn't want a large fuss to be made over her condition. But somehow, Amelia and Tristan managed to sense that something was amiss.

Tristan sauntered over, a firm expression of stern worry on his face. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," insisted Miriam, massaging her aching limbs. Everyone had stopped to pay attention to her, which was the exact opposite of what she wanted. "My legs were hurting a bit, that's all."

Tristan lowered his head, examining her closely. In the pale illumination of the night circle, her face seemed flushed, with a hint of a sickly pallor. "You should have told me," he scolded. "Perhaps we should stop for the night."

"What?" Miriam looked up, her eyes pleading for her father to reconsider. "No, we don't need to! I said it was nothing!"

"It isn't nothing if it hurts so bad that you have to sit down," retorted Tristan, who looked to Amelia for help in coaxing their daughter.

Amelia had been standing next to Tristan moments before taking a step forward. "It's fine dear," she assured in her gentle and loving way. "Listen to me. We all care about you and your wellbeing, and if it's too much for you, we'll take a break."

"Certainly," agreed Molly. "Michael often told me that having others to help you through your pain is better than dealing with it alone. We don't mind having to stop. Besides, I'm sure we'd all like to sleep when it's cool for once. Don't you?"

Miriam felt as if she had been put on the spot. Everyone was bombarding her with questions, and it quickly became overwhelming. She eventually gave in due to the pressure.

They didn't bother returning to their original spot, and simply fell asleep where they had been standing. Miriam ambled over to Mackenzie, throwing herself onto the ground. "I hate this," she muttered.

Mackenzie didn't respond, but opened one eye and gave a slight smile before falling asleep.

The breeze passed through the cool nighttime air, sending small shivers coursing throughout Tristan's body. He turned, taking up more room than necessary, and leaving Amelia little room to turn around. Amelia was a light sleeper, which did not clash well with Tristan being near impossible to rouse.

"Tristan," she whispered, gently nudging him in the side. "Move over. I hardly have any room."

Tristan refused to budge, and as if that wasn't enough, he began talking in his sleep.

"Okay, you need to go to sleep now, Amelia."

Amelia looked at him strangely, before realizing that he was asleep. "I am, sweetie," she replied as sweetly as she could. "I'm trying."

"It's time to sleep, okay?" His voice was somewhat angrier.

"…Yes, I'm going to sleep. I've been trying to sleep."

"No more talking, it's time to go to sleep."

"Alright…"

Tristan began snoring lightly, and turned the other way, finally giving Amelia some well deserved space. As she tried to fall back asleep, something roaming about in the dark caught her eye. In the break of dawn, she could see two sharpteeth poised to stalk their prey. As the two predators sniffed the air, they caught wind of the rainbow faces. They softly grunted to each other, nodding.

Amelia lightly nudged Tristan in the shoulder. "Tristan, wake up."

"Leave me alone," he groaned.

"Tristan! _Get up_."

"What do you want.."

Running out of time and patience, Amelia kicked her mate in the thigh. "Wake up, there's sharpteeth nearby."

"What? Where?" Tristan instantly came out of his slumber, frantically searching the barren landscape.

Amelia shushed him, bringing a finger over her mouth. "Could you be any louder? Look in front of you."

Tristan looked forward, his eyes widening. Sure enough, there were two sharpteeth wandering around the open desert.

"I'll go wake everyone up," said Amelia, slowly rising to her feet to avoid drawing attention towards herself. "Just stay low, and don't make any sudden movements." She tiptoed across the sand, gently nudging Molly awake.

"Molly. There's sharpteeth nearby. We have to go."

"Mm…what?"

"Sharpteeth. They're close. Wake up Gabriel and Adam and quietly follow Tristan."

"Sharpteeth?" Molly repeated, the remnants of her unconsciousness having faded away, allowing her to awaken.

"Yes. Now hurry."

Amelia went over to her daughters to rouse them as well. "Mackenzie, Miriam. Get up."

Mackenzie let out a loud groan. "Mom, it's early.."

"Shhh!" Amelia looked up to see the two sharpteeth charging towards her, adrenaline quickly taking over. She roughly nudged Miriam and Mackenzie to their feet, trying to get them as far away as possible. As they slowly came to, Amelia continued to push them away. "Go! Go!"

The sharpteeth sounded their warning roars, creating clouds of dust behind them as they ran.

Miriam and Mackenzie were now fully awake, and followed the others in an attempt to flee. Tristan came loping back for his mate. "Amelia, _come on_."

"Run," she commanded as the sharpteeth surrounded her. "I'll hold them off for a bit and then I'll join you."

Tristan stared at her helplessly, reluctant to leave her to fend for herself.

Amelia gave him a reassuring smile, although her own eyes were filled with uncertainty. "I'll be fine. Just go."

Tristan hesitantly ran off, leaving Amelia to deal with the predators. He could hear the roars and the tearing of flesh, and he instantly regretted his choice to obey his wife.

As the rainbow faces ran for their lives, Mackenzie asked what everyone was thinking. "Where's mom?"

"Saving our tails," Tristan replied. "We have to get as far away as we can."

The two sharpteeth, as Amelia found out, were not fully grown. They were young, and not big enough to pose as much of a threat as the adults. Still, their claws and teeth could deliver a nasty blow.

Amelia blew off their advances by ramming herself into them, but it wasn't something she could keep up for long, especially with two of them. Eventually, she began to tire. The sharpteeth clawed her, leaving deep, red gashes.

As a warm sensation surrounded her, Amelia thought for sure this was how her life would end. But she remembered, she had a mate, and children, who just couldn't do without her. She pushed all her weight onto the sharpteeth, knocking them over with one powerful blow. While they were stunned and still recovering, the female rainbow face took the opportunity to flee.

As she limped to try and catch up with her family, she called out. "Tristan! Tristan!"

Her cries reached Tristan, who turned to see a dinosaur ambling slowly towards him. He rushed to her side, followed by his daughters.

"Amelia!" He eyed her closely, allowing her to lean on him. He took notice of the gashes on her thigh, three claw marks in two different spots. The skin around the wounds was becoming red and puffy. "Amelia...you're hurt."

"I noticed," she replied with her usual spunk.

"Here, just lean on me, okay?" Tristan felt that he managed to hide his concern quite effectively, but when it came to his family, his worry was always evident in his voice and the way he acted, and by his reprimands. "…There was no need for you to do something so stupid, though."

"Mom!" Miriam and Mackenzie came loping over to their parents, with Molly and her kids watching from nearby.

Miriam was the first to speak up. "Mom, are you okay?"

"What are you doing here? I was trying to give you guys the chance to run away!" Amusingly enough, Amelia was now the one with minimal patience.

"Take it easy," encouraged Tristan. "We were all just worried."

Molly then approached her friend, surprisingly calm. "Still putting yourself in danger for Tristan? You haven't changed a bit."

"Molly," growled Tristan, gritting his teeth. "Now is not the time."

Amelia chuckled, looking up at Tristan. "She's right, though. I've always gotta come in and save you. You're not all that tough."

Tristan looked as if Amelia had just broken his heart. "I am!" He looked to his daughters for confirmation. "Girls, I'm tough, aren't I?"

"You _look_ tough," mumbled Mackenzie, earning a snicker from Gabriel.

"If it helps you sleep at night," began Miriam, who wanted to join in on the fun, "sure, dad."

"It's alright, dear." Amelia nuzzled the crook of his neck. "You're tough enough for me."

Tristan smiled, the first genuine smile he allowed himself since the horrid events that drove them to move in the first place.

Not too far away, a flyer was gazing at the remnants of her old home. The tremors of the earth, sky water, and various other forces, had reduced it to a pathetic wasteland where only death was welcome. The lame flyer was crouched down in front of a large, decaying carcass of some larger dinosaur, her hands folded close to her chest. She was a pale yellow, with a slender body and eyes the color of dry tree stars, under which she had dark circles due to a lack of sleep, brought on by horrific and recurrent sleep stories.

"Oh, Randy…I'm so sorry." Her voice was meek and gentle, almost as if she were whispering. "I should've been a better sister. I should have done something…" A single tear rolled down her cheek, falling onto the dirt, evaporating almost instantly.

Above her was a group of flyers, watching her every move. She knew she wasn't alone, and promptly took off. The leader of the predatory flyers let out a screech, swooping downwards. The rest of the flyers briefly followed suit, engaging in a high speed chase. When she heard the screech behind her, she found herself being pursued by flyers much bigger than her. She quickly picked up speed.

The flyers did the same, following her as she made sharp turns around the jagged edges of the cliffs, and as she zoomed right through a herd of grazing longnecks. The chase went all the way to the open desert, where the small female flyer spotted an opportunity. A group of rainbow faces was wandering across the barren land, and a large rainbow face with a thigh wound would help buy her time. She swooped under the injured dinosaur, able to make sharper turns than those pursuing her. However, the rainbow face ended up helping her more than expected.

When the sharptooth flyers came into view, the rainbow face whacked the one closest to her away with her tail, sending it flying into the others. A collision took place, and the group was dazed for a moment. They recovered fast, but at her size, the rainbow face was simply too big to be threatened by them. Defeated, they took to the sky and fled.

Tristan looked towards the sky, watching until the flyers were out of sight. "Good riddance," he griped. "Don't they have anything better to do?"

Amelia glanced behind her, making sure they were gone for good. Then, she scoffed. "Amateurs."

Just then, the flyer came out of hiding. She kept her hands close to her chest, looking down and refusing to make eye contact. "Thank you for saving me…a little while more and I would have been dead meat."

Amelia offered a kind smile, turning to face the flyer. "It's nothing, really. Trust me, all you need to do to get rid of flyers like those is hide behind a really big dinosaur."

The flyer smiled her most convincing smile, although it vanished when she noticed the claw marks on the other's thigh. "Oh my…what happened?"

"Hm?" Amelia briefly glimpsed at her wound. "Oh, I was fending off some sharpteeth. They think they're so tough."

"You need to clean that. It could get infected."

"We would," intervened Tristan. "But there's no water anywhere near us."

"There's some water out towards the west. I can show you, if you'd like."

"Water?" Repeated Amelia. "We could all use some water. For sure."

So, the flyer led them towards the designated area. There wasn't too much water, but it was fresh. There was some shade, which gave everyone a moment to cool down.

"Here, sit down," the flyer urged Amelia.

Amelia did as told, and watched as the flyer grabbed some leaves from the trees and soaked them in water. Then, she pressed the leaves against the wounds. Amelia winced, but soon relaxed.

"So, what's your name?"

"Kyra," the flyer responded, smiling sweetly. "And what's yours…?"

"Amelia. Standing right next to me is my husband Tristan, and the two girls over there are my daughters, Mackenzie and Miriam. And that's Molly and her boys, Adam and Gabriel."

"I don't think I'll be able to remember that," remarked Kyra. "But it's nice to meet all of you."

"…You seem to know a lot about healing," Tristan commented after a brief silence.

"Oh," said Kyra. "I do know a lot…but it's not something I want to take up. I like to sing."

Tristan nodded, watching as Kyra finished cleaning the wound. "Uh, I'm sorry if this seems a bit sudden, but…would you like to travel with us? We could use someone like you."

"That depends. Are you going to the Great Valley as well?"

Amelia and Tristan both nodded.

"Then I'd love to accompany you," said Kyra, accepting the offer. "I could use the protection."

Amelia turned around to look at the young ones, who were sipping as much water as they could. "Kids, what do you think? Is it okay if Kyra comes with us? And Molly, what about you?"

They were all fairly indifferent, although no one directly opposed the idea. So, it was settled. Kyra would join them on their journey and give whatever knowledge she had to offer, and the rainbow faces would offer their protection.

"We'll rest here," announced Tristan. "We'll start moving again when the night circle is high in the sky." He then looked at Amelia, giving her a knowing smile.

Amelia took a moment to reciprocate, but eventually did so. Despite how they bickered, they always came to depend on each other, and that was what was important. Their dependence on each other. And in time, they would come to depend on Kyra as well.


	8. Chapter 8: Here to Stay

**Guess who's actually updating regularly? I'm on break now, so you guys can expect quick updates, especially since I've already typed out chapters 8 through 18, and all I need to do is publish them. This chapter focuses mostly on Pterano's return to the valley, and the rainbow faces arriving there as well. And just a note, for the canon characters without specified names (Grandma and Grandpa Longneck, Petrie's mother, etc.), I just named them after their voice actors and actresses. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

The journey to the valley was long, arduous, and tiresome. The rainbow faces eventually made it out of the desert, but were faced with one peril after another. They wandered through mud up to their knees, and dodged ashes from mountains that burned. They eventually met up with another herd of dinosaurs who were also heading towards the Great Valley, and chose to travel with them. Not all of them made it to the end, and only the lucky ones were able to complete the journey.

But after what felt like ages, they finally made it. They had arrived at the Great Valley, at last. They climbed the stone wall to where they could see the mountains kiss the sky, and the ever shifting pink and orange clouds slowly floating across. When they looked down, the beaming light of bright circle revealed a paradise. Every inch of it was covered in green, with waterfalls and lakes spread out across the landscape.

Tristan was beyond himself in joy and relief. "It's real…it's actually real…" he watched his family run up to him as he surveyed the landscape. "Come and look! You can see the whole world!"

"Well, come on," urged Amelia, slowly pushing past him and onto the rocks below. "Come on, kids."

"Be careful," Tristan warned, hopping after her to make sure she didn't hurt herself. The kids were the first to reach the bottom, Kyra swooped down, all while Molly lingered near the top, taking her sweet time.

"Molly," said Tristan. "Come on. Don't you want to see the valley?"

Molly looked away, her eyes downcast. "Michael would've been so happy to see this."

Tristan gave a sad smile. Not a single part of this was fair, least of all to Molly. "But Michael would also want you and your kids to enjoy the valley,"he reasoned. "He would be so happy to see that you're thriving, and that you're safe."

Molly knew that Tristan was right, especially as someone who'd dealt with grief before. She gave a nod, proceeding to follow him down to the bottom.

At the bottom, there was a log stretched out across the waterfall, acting as a bridge between it and the land. A smaller dinosaur was drinking from the falls, when it heard the rumble of approaching footsteps. Looking up, it saw the family of rainbow faces, nonchalantly marching across the log. Being small enough to be crushed by them, the dinosaur quickly steered clear.

"So," said Amelia, whispering to Tristan as soon as their feet touched the grass. "Do we have to tell everyone that we're here, or…?"

"I don't know," said Tristan. "Let's just walk towards them and see what happens."

In the distance, a young longneck playing with his friends watched the group of rainbow faces make their way to the rest of the herd. They were bigger than the ones he'd seen some time before.

"Littlefoot, what are you looking at?" A young threehorn came up behind him, her face contorted into a displeased expression.

"The new herd," answered Littlefoot.

The threehorn scoffed. "Who cares? They're rainbow faces."

Littlefoot gave her his own displeased expression. "You know, Cera, it wouldn't hurt to care for once."

"Whatever."

The rest of their friends came over, curious to see what they were watching so intently.

"What are you all looking at?" A pink fast runner inquired.

"Yeah," agreed a young sharptooth, genuinely curious. "What's so interesting over there?"

"Just a rainbow face herd," said Littlefoot.

"Rainbow face?" Repeated a tiny flyer. "We no get those here!"

The little flyer was right. Rainbow faces in the Great Valley were, for some reason, oddly rare. The kids occasionally saw one or two, but they were usually part of a far walker herd, and only passed by during the cold times.

A small duckbilled swimmer hopped onto her brother, a spiketail. "Do you think they are here to stay?"

The flyer sighed sadly. "How come uncle Pterano no come to stay…?"

Littlefoot looked at his friends with uncertainty before shifting his gaze towards the herd of rainbow faces and the rest of the dinosaurs in the Great Valley. "I don't know."

Meanwhile, Tristan and his family found themselves faced with the residents of the valley. A dark grey and gruff looking threehorn stepped forward. "State your name and business."

Another threehorn stood beside him, her baby blue eyes scolding but gentle. "Topsy.."

An elderly longneck lowered his head. "Threehorn, please. There's no need to be so hostile.

"It's quite alright," insisted Tristan, trying to keep his calm, although he could feel a raging fire burning underneath. "I'm Tristan." He didn't feel it necessary to introduce the rest of his family. Not yet.

The threehorn narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here?"

"To have a nice life," replied Tristan, gritting his teeth.

"I don't like rainbow faces," said the threehorn. "They think they know everything. They get on my nerves."

Miriam looked visibly hurt. "Mackenzie," she whispered, "why do you think that threehorn hates us? We barely got here, what could we have done to make him so angry?"

"Oh, some dinosaurs are just like that," replied Mackenzie. "If you're different than them in any way they'll hate you until you somehow prove yourself."

"Prove ourselves? How would we do that?"

"I don't care. I'm not about to prove myself to him, especially since there's nothing to prove." Her jade eyes glowed with disdain as she turned and walked away, followed by her sister.

"Somebody has anger issues," Amelia murmured to her husband.

"I do _not_ have anger issues," intervened the threehorn.

"Oh," said Amelia in dull disbelief. "Alright."

However, the threehorn was not the only one with anger management problems. Tristan was on the verge of lashing out, and Amelia could already see that this wouldn't end well.

She quickly stepped up, pushing Tristan away. "Listen," she said in the most polite tone she could muster. "We've come a long, long way. All we want to do is have a place where we can live without fear and be safe and happy. We won't be too much trouble, we'll just be minding our own business."

"Be reasonable, Threehorn," advised an elderly female longneck, presumably the other longneck's mate.

Mr. Threehorn grumbled to himself, and huffed. "Fine!"

The elderly male longneck spoke next. "Does anyone object?"

There were mumbles amongst the crowd, but no one made it explicitly clear that they didn't want the rainbow faces residing in the valley. They hadn't even noticed Kyra.

"Alright," said Grandpa Longneck, turning to the newcomers. "Follow me, please."

As they followed the elderly dinosaur, Grandma Longneck talked to Kyra. "I'm sorry. I didn't catch your name, dear."

"Kyra." She offered her best smile, not wanting to look like a depressed loner.

"What a beautiful name. Welcome to the valley, Kyra."

Grandpa Longneck had led them to a slightly secluded area with a canopy of trees nearby a small waterfall. "You can take some time to eat if you'd like. I'm sure you're all very hungry. Also, you may nest anywhere in the valley that doesn't already have a nest."

Amelia looked up at the kind longneck. "Thank you. We really appreciate your help."

"The nerve of that threehorn, can you believe him?!" Tristan focused his attention on a tree, which he began vigorously shaking. "So much for a warm welcome."

Grandpa Longneck smiled. He understood. "Yes, you'll have to excuse Mr. Threehorn. He means well."

If he did, Tristan clearly didn't see it. As he shook the leaves from the tree, he could hear a scream that grew louder and louder. A reddish brown blur fell on top of him, bringing him to the ground.

He let out a groan as he stood up, eyes focused on what looked like a flyer. "Get off…my _face_!" He tossed the flyer over his head, and was in no mood to think about the consequences of his actions.

Kyra had been chatting with Grandma Longneck, when they were drawn towards the commotion. Kyra flew over, perching herself on a tree branch. She was in no way prepared for what she saw.

Sprawled out on the ground was Pterano, groaning in pain. He was much skinnier, and looked extremely malnourished. Her green eyes grew moist with tears.

Pterano looked up, and saw the yellow flyer. His painful expression of disbelief and sadness showed it all. He knew it was her. Even though she looked old and worn, he would recognize his love anywhere. "Kyra…? Oh, I truly have gone mad…"

Grandma and Grandpa Longneck were surprised to see Pterano, and their disappointment was evident from their expressions. The rainbow faces didn't even know who this flyer was.

Kyra's eyes roamed around nervously before she took off, needing to simply get away. As she zipped across the sky, she rammed into another flyer. "Tress?!"

Tress had been flying in search of a suitable snack when Kyra rammed into her suddenly. When she recovered, she almost didn't believe it. "Kyra…Kyra, is that really you?"

Kyra didn't respond and flew right past her, into the nearest vacant cave. A bit foolish and cowardly, yes, but this was her idea of a solution.

Tress didn't know what to think of it, so she decided to tell the longnecks. She found them near the trees. "Mr. and Mrs. Longneck—" she cut herself off midway, her eyes as wide as the night circle. "Pterano?"

Pterano glanced over at his sister, his eyes softening. "Tress…"

Tress walked over to him, wrapping him in a hug. "…I've missed you."

Pterano's voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "Really…?"

"Of course," replied Tress, pulling away. "You may have done many bad things, but you're still my brother. And…the kids have missed you, too."

"Oh, Tress…I think I'm losing my mind. I saw…"

"Kyra?"

Pterano was dumbfounded. "Why, yes. How'd you know…?"

"I saw her too. I tried to talk to her, but she just flew away."

"D-Do you really think it was her…?"

"I'm sure it was, and I know she recognized me…" Tress looked up. She could see this was clearly bothering Pterano.

"Uh, Pterano," began Grandpa Longneck. "You do realize you will have to tell the rest of the valley of your return, right?"

Not quite the change of subject Tress was looking for, but it worked.

"Yes, Kenneth," answered Pterano, addressing the longneck by his real name. "I was aware of that. But it's good to see you. You too, Linda." He nodded in Grandma Longneck's direction.

The longnecks weren't quite sure how to respond, and simply gave a polite nod of their heads.

Kenneth spoke next. "Erm…well, I'll go gather the others." He slowly trudged away, the ground rumbling beneath him with each step.

Linda watched her husband leave and then turned her attention towards Tress. "I'm sorry, but you know…?"

"Kyra? Yes." Tress finished for her. "We knew each other when we were younger." Her gaze drifted to her brother. "And…she knew Pterano, too."

Linda's kind eyes also shifted to the frail flyer, although she tried to keep it discreet. "I see."

Just then, Kenneth appeared. "Pterano."

Pterano visibly flinched. He hadn't been expecting everyone to be gathered so soon. "I'm coming." His voice was timid and weak, like he was scared. And he was.

Tress gave him a small smile. "It'll be fine, Pterano."

"Oh Tress, I can only hope so…"

With that, the two flyers flew off, accompanied by the longnecks who followed them on foot.

Amelia and Tristan watched them leave with puzzled expressions.

"Goodness," commented Amelia. "Everything seems so rigorous."

"Yes," agreed Tristan. "They actually have rules here."

Amelia looked to her mate. "Do you think we have to be there too?"

Tristan shook his head, lowering it to snack on a mouthful of leaves. "Don't know, don't care. Now, come and eat with me. The green food here is actually quite good."

Amelia caught a glimpse of the dinosaurs gathered together, and gave a shrug. She strolled over to where Tristan was, burying her face in the pile of green food. A few moments later, she let out a muffled squeak. When she pulled her head out, she was revealed to be holding a soft, white tree sweet in her mouth.

"Look!" She exclaimed, eyes twinkling happily. "They have tree sweets! And they're the white ones!"

Tristan's mouth dropped open in astonishment. Tree sweets in general were rare for them, but the white ones — which were extra sweet — were a true rarity.

Amelia held the flower out towards him and he gratefully bit off one half, while she ate the other. Their eyes met as they smiled at each other and pressed their snouts together, sharing a gentle and intimate moment.

The dinosaurs of the valley assembled into a crowd, murmuring and conversing amongst themselves. Littlefoot and his friends noticed the commotion, and ran to investigate.

"What's going on?" Asked Littlefoot.

"Who knows," Cera replied flatly. "I can't see over Mr. Thicknose's fat head."

"Ahem," said Kenneth, trying to grab everyone's attention.

Suddenly, Mr. Threehorn did so for him. "EVERYONE, QUIET!"

Silence fell among the crowd, and everyone directed their attention towards the longneck.

Kenneth smiled politely. "Thank you." He then shifted his gaze off towards the side, looking downwards. "Pterano, are you ready?"

Cera's eyes grew wide as she whispered under her breath. " _What_?"

The little flyer, who was Pterano's nephew Petrie, seemed ecstatic. His mouth was curved into a huge smile, and he began flapping his wings. "Uncle Pterano!"

"Shhh!" Scolded Cera. "Any louder?"

"Oops," said Petrie, shying away. "Me sorry, me just happy to see him."

"Pterano's back?" It was hard to tell from Littlefoot's voice whether or not he had a problem with the flyer's return.

Pterano took a deep breath, reminding himself to ignore everything else and focus only on what he was going to say. As he stepped away from the shadows and into the light, all eyes went on him.

Meanwhile, Miriam and Mackenzie watched the scene unfold from a distance, wondering why so many different dinosaurs were gathered together in one place.

Miriam tilted her head curiously. "What do you think is going on over there?"

Mackenzie offered one of her infamous scowls, communicating that she wasn't planning on sticking around to find out. "Something stupid I'm sure," she said, disinterested, as she began to head back to where their parents were.

Miriam briefly surveyed the scene, and found she was unable to see anything. Losing all interest in the situation, she followed her sister.

Pterano fiddled with his fingers as he tried to find his words. Everyone shot questions at him left and right, hardly giving him the chance to answer.

"What are your _real_ intentions?" Interrogated Mr. Threehorn.

"I-…I just want to live in the valley."

"Bah!"

Mr. Clubtail questioned him next. "How can we be sure that you're not going to try anything?"

Pterano wasn't sure how to answer. What proof did he have?

"Well?"

"I have nothing to offer…all I can ask is that you trust me."

"Hah!" Mr. Threehorn intervened. "Trust _you_?"

"Threehorn," Kenneth scolded gently. "Please try to be fair."

"He's a criminal," argued Threehorn, lifting his head to stare directly into the calm and serene eyes of the elderly dinosaur.

"He also served his sentence," said Tress, her voice fierce as she swooped down and landed in front of the threehorn. "Five cold times. Remember?" Her tone was clearly condescending, and she didn't bother to try and hide it.

Mr. Threehorn began stumbling over his own words. "Well, yes, but I—"

"No." Tress silenced him, holding up her finger. "Not another word."

Kenneth took the opportunity to put an end to the matter. "Does everyone consent?"

There were nods and murmurs, but no one in the crowd seemed particularly thrilled about it, except Petrie. With that decided, the dinosaurs dispersed, leaving only Littlefoot and his friends, the longnecks, Tress, and of course, Pterano.

"Well," began Pterano, sighing. "That went well."

"It could have gone worse," reasoned Tress. "At least you're allowed to stay in the valley."

"Yes…" Pterano agreed begrudgingly. "With everyone walking on eggshells around me!"

"Uncle Pterano!"

Petrie didn't waste a second as he swooped down and practically tackled his uncle to the ground.

Pterano, having lost much of his strength, had trouble keeping his balance and toppled over. "Oh!" He shook his head, about to yell at whoever or whatever had just knocked him over out of pure reflex, but quickly realized it was only his beloved nephew. "Ah, Petrie! You found me!"

"Me missed you," Petrie replied happily, hugging his uncle. "Why you take so long to come back?"

"I was just…having some trouble," said Pterano. "But I'm here now, aren't I?"

"Are you here to stay?"

Pterano hesitated a moment before smiling. "Yes, Petrie. I'm here to stay."


	9. Chapter 9: Friend and Foe

**Hello everyone! I have another chapter for ya'll, a more lighthearted one this time. I' going to try to post chapter 10 later today or at some point during the week, and then chapter 11 which goes back to the rainbow faces. This chapter isn't too exciting, but I had fun writing it. Enjoy!**

"I think it's safe now, Miriam."

The grass crunched beneath Mackenzie's feet as she trudged forward, sniffing the valley air.

Miriam peeked her head out of the bushes, scanning the landscape. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," answered Mackenzie. "Why are you so afraid? There's nothing to be afraid of here."

"I suppose," said Miriam, creeping out into the open. "Still, there's something about this place that feels…weird, I guess."

"You just need some time to get used to it," said Mackenzie, turning her head. "Gabriel, Adam. Are you two going to stay in there all day?"

"We're coming," said Gabriel. "Come on, Adam."

"So, what do you want to do?" Mackenzie peered at her sister with a blank expression, awaiting a response.

"I don't know," answered Miriam. "I want to eat. We never got to eat this much back at our old home."

"True," agreed Gabriel, who nodded his head.

Mackenzie narrowed her eyes at the male rainbow face walking beside her. "You guys were surrounded with green food," she pointed out. "What are you talking about?"

"You're right," stated Gabriel, pausing briefly. "..But we could never tell how long we'd get to eat. We didn't exactly prefer safety over food." He shook his head. "Not very bright."

"I don't think it matters," interjected Adam. "We're here, and we have all the green food we can eat. They even have tree sweets!"

"Come on Miriam," urged Mackenzie. "Let's see if you can find us some ferns. If you can't, no one can."

Miriam skittered forward, bringing her nose close to the ground. After a few minutes, she picked up the scent of ferns sprouting near some tall grass.

"I found some!" She cried out eagerly.

As she reached for the plants, another dinosaur put their foot forward on top of the ferns, keeping Miriam from being able to obtain them.

Mackenzie looked up at the dinosaur, a large and grey adolescent with a wild gleam in his golden eyes. Next to him was a clubtail, and some other dinosaur that she'd never seen before.

"Hey, _she_ found it," said Mackenzie, staring disdainfully at the trio of dinosaurs standing before her.

"And we'll _eat_ it," retorted the grey dinosaur, who seemed to be the leader.

Adam stepped up, his mouth curved into a tight frown. "No you won't, you ugly—"

"Adam," Gabriel scolded calmly. "Mind your manners. Just because _they_ don't act their age, doesn't mean you shouldn't."

Mackenzie raised her brows, a smug and mischievous smirk on her face. Letting out a snort, she lunged forward and knocked the other dinosaur over before running off with the ferns.

...

Nearby, Littlefoot and Cera were watching the entire scene unfold.

"Wow," said Littlefoot. "That rainbow face totally just knocked him over! We should help him."

Cera scoffed. "About time somebody stood up to him." She looked to Littlefoot and then back to the opposite side of the stream.

The rest of their friends came running up to them.

"Did you guys see that?" Said a little sharptooth. "Hyp just fell!"

Littlefoot nodded. "We did, Chomper."

"He had it coming," said a little duckbilled swimmer riding on top of a spiketail. "Yep, yep, yep!"

"But Ducky," said Petrie, "we no even see what happen!"

Ducky gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Littlefoot, do you know what happened?"

"Yeah," said Littlefoot. "Hyp tried to steal those rainbow faces' food, and one of them knocked him over."

"It would seem he was asking for it," chirped Ruby. "And he got what he asked for."

"We should talk to them," suggested Littlefoot.

Cera groaned under her breath. "I don't know."

...

"Who were those knuckleheads?" Mackenzie frowned as she looked behind her, her mood having been ruined by the group of bullies.

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head. "Let's just try to enjoy the morning." With that, she joined her sister and her friends, and resorted to happily munching on the green food.

Several shadows loomed over them, and Mackenzie looked up to see a rather diverse group of dinosaur standing above them.

"Great," Mackenzie muttered under her breath. "There's no sharpteeth, but I can't even eat in peace." Letting out a sigh, she begrudgingly acknowledged them. "Yes?"

"Hi," greeted Littlefoot, "We saw what just happened over here. With that one dinosaur who you pushed."

Mackenzie slouched slightly. "Am I in trouble?"

"No," interjected Cera. "As long as none of the grown ups hear about it, why would you be? We don't even like that group of bullies."

"Oh," Mackenzie said flatly, returning to her meal. With her mouth full of green food, she glanced at the others from the corner of her eye. "Will that be all?"

"Actually," replied Littlefoot. "We were wondering if you'd like to hang out with us."

Mackenzie looked at her sister, who shrugged. She swallowed her food, gulping it down. "Why would I want to do that?"

"We know a place where you can get really good tree stars," said the threehorn. "What Littlefoot is trying to say is that we can show you where to get the really good green food, _if_ you keep Hyp and his nasty friends away from us."

Mackenzie raised a brow. "Is that his name?"

"We'd also like to get to know you guys, added Littlefoot, not wanting the rainbow faces to be under the impression that they were befriending them just for the sake of protection. "And you _don't_ have to protect us from Hyp." He shot a glare towards Cera.

Mackenzie weighed the decision, her eyes drifting towards the little sharptooth standing near the runner. "What's a sharptooth doing here? I thought there _were_ no sharpteeth here."

Miriam looked over, her face contorting into a smile of adoration at the little predator.

"This is Chomper," said Littlefoot. "He's been living with us for a while."

Mackenzie looked down at Chomper, who gave a smile. He wasn't very intimidating at all.

"Hello," she finally said. She wasn't the most fond of sharpteeth, but she knew better than to berate someone for something they couldn't help being, especially when they hardly posed a threat at all.

"So," she resumed. "Where exactly is this place that you speak of?"

"Follow us and we'll show you." Littlefoot turned, and began walking.

"Come on," Mackenzie said to the others.

So, the four rainbow faces followed the group of young dinosaurs, allowing them to be their guide.

The longneck and his friends eventually led them to a pond near the tall grass surrounded by trees full of tree stars. It was a bit secluded, but the isolation was what made it so relaxing.

"Hm," mused Gabriel, looking around the area. "Not too shabby…what do you think, Adam?"

"It's okay," said Adam, his opinion uncertain.

"Hey, hatchlings!"

They all recognized that voice, and the snickers that followed.

Hyp crept towards them, his two lackeys following close behind, sneering.

"I thought we made it clear to you babies that this place was ours!"

Miriam looked to her sister, bewildered and confused. She hadn't heard anything about areas of the valley 'belonging' to anyone.

Mackenzie scowled at Hyp, running up to him and coming to a screeching halt so abrupt that the other nearly lost his balance. "I pummeled you before and I'll do it again."

Hyp chuckled amusingly, and turned to look at his friend. "Hey Nod, Mutt, this oughta be good."

Nod, the clubtail, glanced at his friend worriedly. "Uh, Hyp, maybe you shouldn't…"

"Uh, yeah," added Mutt.

Without another word, Mackenzie rammed her head into Hyp's, knocking him into the pond. She lingered to watch him recover from the blow.

"Told you I'd do it again." She lifted her head, and pranced away.

Mutt and Nod ambled over to help their friend back onto his feet.

"Uh, Hyp," said Nod, "maybe we should go somewhere else, huh?"

"Yeah," said Mutt, who seemed to have only one word in his vocabulary.

Hyp clenched his jaw. "Aw, fine. Whatever. But we'll be back." He angrily stomped away, his lackeys trailing after him.

"Amateurs," scoffed Mackenzie, who managed to make everyone laugh with her comment.


	10. Chapter 10: That Will Be All

**Hello again! I finally hit my 10th chapter on this story, which I thought wouldn't happen for a while because I'm so slow with updates. But since I'm on break, I'm going to be uploading the chapters I do have finished to kill time. Anyway, this chapter is short and focuses on Pterano. Hope you guys like it, and have a good week!**

Kyra stretched out her muscles as she stirred, a contented smile adorning her features upon seeing her very first sunrise in the Great Valley. The gleaming orange rays didn't nearly blind her, as most valley residents complained. To her, it was like a ray of hope after a dark time. After so many days of struggling, and having to fend for herself, she couldn't have been more grateful to see the bright circle rise again with all it's glory.

But there was a thought that lingered at the back of her mind. That flyer she'd seen. It was Pterano, unmistakably. He looked more worn out, but Kyra still recognized her mate. She would recognize him anywhere. She already knew that the other flyer she'd ran into was Tress, because she recognized Kyra. Unfortunately, Kyra did not bother to stick around to speak to them. As usual, she was running away from her problems.

This was all wrong. She had traveled here for a fresh start, a chance to forget everything from her past and start anew. But now, her past had come back to her. She could hide from it as long as she liked, but she knew, she would have to explain herself eventually.

She flew downwards towards the stream, leaning in to take a morning drink. Her joints ached from her tiresome voyage, but her fatigue left her with a feeling of accomplishment. As she sipped from the stream, Kyra peered at her reflection, which suddenly turned into a reflection of her and Tress.

"Tress?"

"Kyra, please don't fly away," Tress begged, squeezing the other's hand. "We need to talk."

Kyra scoffed. "What is there to talk about?"

"Kyra.." Tress scolded, looking her in the eye. "…First of all, it's good to see you. Second of all, what happened? We all took you for dead!"

Kyra's eyes were wild and desperate. She looked down, wanting to avoid the question posed by the other flyer.

"I ran away," she admitted. "I couldn't stay there anymore. The herd was falling apart…and I didn't want to be around when it did."

Tress knew she was telling the truth, but not the whole truth. "I know there's more to it than that, and I won't push you for answers. But you need to see Pterano."

A fierce and indescribable emotion came over Kyra, and she snatched her hand away from Tress's grasp.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"You can't run away forever!"

Kyra became angrier, a burning fire raging underneath her. "Tress, stop it!"

She couldn't understand why she found it so difficult to think with a clear mind, and no matter how well intentioned Tress's words were, they were only met with anger.

"He deserves to know," Tress shot back, unfazed by Kyra's fury. "He may have done many questionable things, but he deserves to know what happened to the flyer he loves. He should know why he had to spend so many days and nights without you, and why you never came back…but he should only hear it from you."

Kyra frowned, averting her watering eyes. "Why can't you just leave me be?"

"Because," said Tress, "you both need closure. And now that you both are living in the valley, you need it more than ever. You can get angry and hate me, that's your choice to make. But if you don't talk to him about this, you two will grow apart. And soon, there really won't be anything left to talk about."

She flew off without another word, leaving Kyra to ponder on her words. She held no resentment for the flyer, for she had been through a lot, but there were still cracks inflicted by Kyra that needed to be mended by her.

Kyra avoided the issue for as long as she could, until sunset. When the bright circle began to go below the ridge and turn it the color of fire, she flew over to Tress's place. As she landed, a pleased grin appeared on Tress's face.

"Pterano!" The little blue flyer called. There's someone here to see you." She placed a hand on Kyra's shoulder. "Good luck," she said before taking to the sky once more.

Pterano had been spending a majority of the day sleeping, regaining his strength. He kept one hand on the wall for support as he yawned, a faint feeling briefly coming over him. "Mm…yes? Who is it?"

Kyra's voice seemed to have left her. It felt as if it had been kicked out of her.

Pterano looked up, and Kyra could see every emotion he felt in that moment. Shock, disbelief, sadness…and anger.

"Pterano…" she wasn't sure what to say, so she said the most seemingly logical thing. "Please, let me explain." How was she going to explain? She could hardly gather her thoughts.

"Why did you leave?" The hurt in his voice pained Kyra more than anything.

"I…It's a long story. And I'm not ready."

"So…you _can't_ explain."

Kyra held her head in shame. "Not yet."

There was a shimmer of doubting hope on Pterano's exhausted face. "Is it really…?"

Kyra nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes. It is me."

Pterano reached out to her, as if to make a first attempt to rekindle their relationship, but she shriveled away from him.

"Kyra…?"

"I'm sorry to say this," she sighed and rubbed her arm. "…Please don't touch me." She hoped she didn't sound too cold.

Pterano's dark eyes were sad and disappointed. "But it's me.."

"I know. And I would never have it be anyone else."

"But…?"

"I need time for myself, as do you. How do you think I'm going to love you if I can't even love myself?"

Her words struck a chord in Pterano. He'd struggled with his self esteem for as long as he could remember, and he'd destroyed it while ultimately trying to get it back. He understood what his long lost love was trying to say, and agreed. They both needed time to find themselves.

"I'm sorry," continued Kyra. "I know it looks bad, and I—"

"Shh," silenced Pterano, extending a shaky hand towards her shoulder as he looked to her eyes for permission to proceed. When she smiled, he briefly clasped a hand around her shoulder before allowing it to fall by his side.

"That will be all, my dear."


	11. Chapter 11: Always

**Hey, guys! I had time to finish this chapter today, and I think I can upload what I have finished so far. Anyway, this chapter focuses on Tristan and Amelia (not gonna lie they're my favorite in this story), and it's pretty long, but I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you guys like it just as much as I do!**

The translucent glow of the bright circle shimmered through the green leaves of the trees, and directly onto a family of rainbow faces slumbering peacefully inside a cave. The light felt warm, but it was a bothersome sort of warm.

Tristan groaned in disgust, turning the opposite direction; away from the light. Amelia however, welcomed the brightness with open arms. She sighed dreamily, opening her eyes. Upon awakening, she was met by Tristan's grouchy expression.

The female dinosaur gently nuzzled the crook of her mate's neck, a tight frown on her face. "Wake up," she urged him. "If you stay asleep any longer, your back's going to start hurting."

"Don't care," Tristan slurred groggily, overcome with drowsiness. He shifted his weight around a tad, making himself more comfortable in the nest of grass.

Amelia's patience and kindness was not to be mistaken for weakness, and Tristan knew this. Regardless, he still ended up receiving the short end of the stick.

Amelia rose to her feet, nudging him once more. Although this time, she used more force, so much in fact, that Tristan practically rolled out of the nest. He fell on his back, brown eyes opening to see Amelia standing over him.

"Good morning," she greeted with a smile that appeared genuine, but felt forced. "Glad you're awake. Now go wake up Miriam. Mackenzie woke up before either of us, maybe you should learn from her."

"But Amelia," Tristan whined as he stood up, resting his head on her shoulder. "I'm tired…"

"Tristan." Amelia's voice was firm, the frown returning to her face. "Stop complaining, and wake her up. _Please_?"

Tristan gave a sigh of defeat and marched over to the corner of the cave. There was another smaller nest of grass and leaves, and lying on top of it, was Miriam. He nudged her gently, attempting to bring her out of her slumber. "Miriam, it's time to wake up. You're the only one that's still sleeping."

Miriam had been drifting ceaselessly through a peaceful silence, through a sea of nothingness. However, upon hearing her father's unmistakeable voice, all that faded away. Slowly, she returned to reality, opening her eyes. She lifted her head, and almost instantly, she was hit with an intense rush of dizziness. Quickly, she lowered it and returned to snuggling with the leaves and grass that her nest consisted of.

Tristan tilted his head, confused. Usually, Miriam didn't need to be told twice to wake up. The only exception would be if her illness had flared up. He got down on his knees, sitting beside her.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," she rasped weakly, attempting to stand. "I'm okay." Her legs shook uncontrollably, rapidly contracting and relaxing. She placed one hand on the wall of the cave, using it to support the rest of her body.

Tristan's amber eyes shone in a way that expressed his concern without him having to voice it.

"Miriam," he repeated her name firmly, guiding her gently to the ground. "You look sick. Sit down."

Miriam didn't require any further coaxing, given how terrible she felt. "I _feel_ sick," she said in a hoarse, but nearly inaudible voice. She sat down, lowering her head.

Tristan's expression softened, his face twisted with worry. "It's alright, don't get up. I'll go get your mother."

The last thing Miriam heard were her father's fading footsteps, and then his voice, which grew overwhelmingly distant. She began to feel comfortably numb, her senses dulling until there was nothing but silence and pitch darkness.

When she awoke later on, she felt tired and groggy. Her thoughts were in a jumbled disarray, and she couldn't seem to piece them together. When she peered forward, she saw her father. He was sitting not too far from her, his desolate eyes looking out towards the rest of the valley. She noticed that he appeared rather dejected and downcast.

"Dad…?" Her voice was hoarse.

Tristan was brought out of his trance by the sound of his daughter's voice, and directed his attention to her. "Miriam? How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Miriam replied. "What happened?"

"You passed out," explained Tristan. "We had to get Kyra to take a look at you. It was because of your illness, and you have to rest until you get better."

"Are _you_ okay, dad? Where's mom?"

"I'm not sure. I yelled at her, and…"

Miriam gave him a questioning look.

"…she was limping. Still. And after what happened to you, it worried me. She was gathering food for you from trees that she couldn't easily reach and I got so angry, that I yelled at her. I don't know why I can't just be calm for once."

He still remembered the argument, and recalled every word.

 _"Amelia! What are you doing?"_

 _Amelia jumped up and grabbed a handful of tree stars from a rather high tree, keeping one leg raised slightly when she landed. When she heard her name, she turned around and smiled at the familiar face she saw._

 _"Hello, Tristan." She chuckled. "I'm grabbing tree stars."_

 _Tristan didn't look particularly amused. "Why? You're still limping."_

 _She scoffed, and stood up. "So? I'm not paralyzed. And I was grabbing them for Miriam."_

 _"That doesn't make it any better!"_

 _"Why are you yelling?"_

 _"Because the more you use that leg, the worse off you're going to be!"_

 _"Tristan." Amelia was trying to keep the calm in her voice. "I've had worse injuries than a limp. You're blowing this a bit out of proportion."_

 _"Well, maybe, if you'd take better care of yourself, I wouldn't overreact!"_

 _"Well, if you weren't so overbearing, then you wouldn't have to be so worried." She huffed and stormed off, still limping. She'd forgotten all about the tree stars, and was too angry to focus on anything but her anger._

When he looked up, Tristan found that Miriam was out cold. He let out a chuckle; he couldn't blame her. He couldn't blame Amelia either for yelling back. His mind drifted back to before they ever had children, or even got married. For as long as he knew her, Amelia had always been quite stubborn, and would always stand up for herself and what she believed in.

…The bright circle was barely touching the mountains, making them appear as if they were the color of fire. A younger Tristan was sleeping peacefully, having quite the sleep story.

 _Tristan was happily prancing around in the tall grass, watched by his mother and father. He skipped over to his father, who lovingly nuzzled him, happily closing his eyes. Tristan then went to his mother, whose smile was as radiant as the bright circle. His mother and father shared an intimate moment as they watched their young son run around happily, leaning on each other._

 _Suddenly, Tristan let out a startled cry. Fast biters were closing in on them, having used their distraction as an ambush opportunity. Tristan ran and hid behind his parents._

 _"Tristan, go," urged his mother, who pushed him away from the commotion._

 _Tristan whimpered, looking to his father._

 _"Son, just go! Get out of here!"_

 _He ran off and hid in the grass elsewhere, watching the horror unfold from a distance, because there was nothing else he could do. His mother was cornered, and his father desperately called out to her while trying to hold off the agile fast biters. He would never forget the look on their faces for as long as he live_ d.

Tristan awoke suddenly to tears rolling down his cheeks. He shook his head, brushing the sleep story off. He'd been having the same one for quite some time now, and it didn't make coping with the death of his parents any easier. He let out a yawn, stretching out his limbs before sauntering out of his cave and watching the bright circle get higher in the sky.

Later on, he was walking with the closest thing he had to a best friend, Michael. He reluctantly listened to Michael ramble and boast on and on about something that really wasn't worth boasting about.

"Hey, did I ever tell you about the time that Molly and I tried to climb a tree?"

Tristan sighed in exasperation. "No, and I don't want you to."

As they made their way to the tall trees adorned with tree stars, they passed a trio of female rainbow faces about their age. Towards the left was Molly, a rather short dinosaur with calm brown eyes which lit up whenever she heard a bad joke. She was a bit jumpy, and found comfort and satisfaction in being a spectator.

Towards the right was Diana. She was tall and slender, with innocent teal eyes, despite her not being so innocent. She was shrewd yet sweet, and seemed to be more than fully capable of looking after herself.

Tristan liked Diana and Molly. They were smart and good natured, with a sense of humor, and not quite as stiff as others in the herd. But truthfully, he really only had eyes for the rainbow face in the middle, Amelia.

Amelia was about the same height as Tristan, with sea blue eyes that resembled the ever changing oceans. She was arrogant, but in the sense that she refused to let herself be walked all over. Tristan thought she was charming; in a stubborn, irritating kind of way.

"Hello, Tristan," she greeted. "Are you still going to the berry celebration tonight?" It was the end of one of the longest cold times the herd had ever known, so a celebration was to be held, in which the herd could indulge themselves to their hearts' content.

"Of course he is," Michael answered for him.

"She wasn't talking to _you_ ," Molly joked, even though she was technically correct.

"Molly." Michael placed a hand over his chest, conveying a tone of false sadness. "That was just _cold_."

Molly knew what was coming and ran off, with Michael chasing her.

Just then, Molly's brother, Andy, came along. He rested his sleepy head on her shoulder, finding comfort in his significant other's touch.

Diana let out a chuckle. "Overslept again?"

Andy yawned, blinking constantly to keep his weary light brown eyes open. "Mm…yeah."

"Well, you're probably going to fall asleep if you lean on me." She nudged him in the side, forcing him to stand upright. "Maybe eating so much before bed wasn't such a good idea, huh?"

Andy shook his head.

"Come on," Diana urged, motioning for him to follow her. "I have just the thing."

Now, Amelia and Tristan were alone.

"Anyway," continued Amelia. "Are you coming?"

Tristan hesitated a moment. He wasn't really one for celebrations; he preferred to stay at home and sleep.

"Uh…yes. I'll be there."

Amelia looked absolutely ecstatic to hear that Tristan would be going. It was endearing, really.

"Alright. I'll see you there."

Another rainbow face came up the path. He was for the most part, tall and lanky, walking with a slight limp. He had Amelia's blue eyes, but much colder. When those eyes looked into someone else's, they could tell that he was silently judging their every move.

"Amelia." His voice was surprisingly calm and gentle, like he was speaking to a hatchling. "Oh, hello, Tristan. It's good to see you."

"Hello, sir." Tristan nodded in his direction as a sign of respect.

"Come, Amelia. Help your mother and I gather berries for tonight." He smiled, and began to walk away after delivering his message.

"Coming!" Amelia yelled, briefly turning her attention to Tristan. "I have to go. I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course."

With that, she ran off towards the path.

...

At the celebration, Tristan and Amelia happily snacked on some berries, ripping apart the ripe fruits apart with their teeth from the inside out. Usually, Michael would accompany Tristan to celebrations, mostly after forcing him to go. But for the first time, Tristan didn't feel that he was forcing himself to keep up a happy façade.

When they'd eaten their fill, Amelia began to stray away from the herd, heading out towards the nearby waterfall. Tristan followed her, because one, he did not want to be alone, and two, because he wanted to ensure that she was safe.

"So, Tristan."

"Hm?"

"Tell me about your parents."

Tristan gave her a funny look. Nobody had ever asked about his parents before. Most times, when his parents were mentioned, it was followed by a 'are you okay?' or 'I'm so sorry,' or some other clearly artificial expression of sympathy. Most figured he was still reeling, which he was, but he liked to keep them in his memory by remembering how they were, not by their demise.

"Uh…who would you like to hear about?"

Amelia continued forward, and took a seat on a rock in the shallow end of the lake which the roaring falls pooled into. Tristan took a seat as well, sitting on the bottom of the lake.

"Tell me about your mother. What was her name?"

"Her name was Tara. And…she was good at finding green food. She loved my father and I a great deal. But she was a terrible runner, and a bit of a klutz. One time, we were playing tag and she was it, but she ran into a rock."

Amelia snickered. "She sounds adorable."

"She was," said Tristan. "When I hatched, my dad thought her reaction to me hatching was cuter than I was. He really did love her."

"I don't doubt it. What about your father? Wasn't his name Tom?"

"Timothy," he corrected her. "He looked kind of scary around others, but my mom and I both knew he was really sweet. He understood how shy I was, and didn't really force me to talk to everyone."

Amelia sighed, resting her head. "Your parents sound wonderful."

"They were.."

Tristan found himself lost in Amelia's eyes. He always thought she was pretty and more than easy on the eyes, but he figured he was fooling himself if she'd ever in a million years be interested in him. Still, he'd never connected with someone like this before. Who knew, maybe he was setting himself up to be hurt, but even so…

"Amelia?"

"Yes?"

"I have to tell you something."

"Oh? Go on."

"Um…well, I—"

"Wait. Shut up."

"What?"

"Listen." She paused, waited, and listened. "Do you hear that?"

Tristan looked around, listening carefully. He could very faintly hear growling, and felt the water rumbling under his feet. Whatever it was, it continued to grow closer.

Suddenly, Tristan and Amelia found themselves faced with a hideous looking green sharptooth. This was smaller compared to other sharpteeth, but significantly bigger than the two rainbow faces. Tristan quickly rose to his feet, fleeing the scene.

"Amelia." He whispered. "What are you _doing_?"

Amelia rose to her feet, and it appeared that she was going to actually fight the sharptooth. It advanced towards her, baring it's sharp yellowed teeth. She wasn't going to win this fight, and she realized it then. She darted towards the significantly deeper water, where the sharptooth would unarguably follow.

It did. Due to poor judgement, the beast lost it's balance and fell over. Being so heavily built, it struggled to get up. But it left a lethal bite on Amelia's back side as it fell, biting some of her flesh off.

Amelia made a narrow escape, shaking herself dry as soon as she was onto land. She glanced at her wound; she'd have to explain this to her parents.

"Amelia!" Tristan was furious. "What's wrong with you?" He took notice of the large chunk of flesh ripped off of her back. "Look at you, you're hurt. Come on, I'm taking you to the healer."

Amelia didn't argue or protest that it wasn't necessary, mostly because she felt faint, like she had been rolling around in a pile of leaves for hours without cessation. However, the group of fast biters waiting at the top of the cliffs had different ideas.

Tristan's heart sank when he noticed them. He extended a hand, gently pushing Amelia back.

"Stay behind me."

The fast biters hopped down from the cliffs, crowding around the two dinosaurs. There were about six of them, and they were the worst kind of biters to be cornered by. They had nothing but an intent to kill in their glowing eyes, and had a lethal toe claw that could shear right through a dinosaur's flesh.

One of them lunged for Tristan, but he whacked it away with his tail. Three more clung to him, while three others had Amelia in a corner. As he looked at her, he was reminded of his mother moments before her death. She had that same look of uncertainty and fear on her face, like she didn't know what was going to become of her.

"Amelia!" His voice was angry, but desperate. He wasn't about to watch someone he loved be killed in front of him. Not again. "Climb! There's ledges you can latch onto!"

A biter was digging it's huge toe claw into Amelia's side, creating huge tears in her skin. Somehow, she never even shed a tear as she struggled to break free of it's deadly grip.

There were too many. At two against six, Tristan and Amelia were woefully outnumbered. Tristan had been wounded, as well as Amelia, although nowhere near as badly as her. Just when they thought this would be how it would end and had accepted their fate, the fast biters suddenly forgot all about their intended prey and fled. Two more sharpteeth, both with huge sails on their backs, came into view. Their snouts were not pointed towards the air, and they did not stop to search.

"They're not interested," Tristan spat. "Come on, let's go."

"I can't move," whimpered Amelia. She'd put up quite the fight, and was bleeding profusely.

Without another word, Tristan helped her onto his back. This made for the most inelegant tango, but he managed it. With Amelia hitching a ride on his back, he began the tiresome trek back home.

Sometime along their trip, Amelia managed to rasp a sentence. "Tristan, I think I can walk now."

"Yes, and I eat longnecks for breakfast."

"Tristan, I mean it. I'm ready to walk, you don't have to carry me the entire way."

"No, you're not. You can barely stay conscious. And on that note, don't you dare close your eyes on me."

"I'm not a baby. I can walk."

Tristan came to a halt, frowning. "What's _wrong_ with you? Why can't you just let me do this for you?"

"Because I can do it myself!"

"Goodness- you are _so_ stubborn and hard headed!"

"Well, at least our kids would be able to stand up for themselves."

Tristan opened his mouth to argue, but caught himself. "I'm sorry?"

"Nothing. It was just a slip of the tongue. Just continue walking, will you?"

Tristan gave her a look that asked a million questions.

Amelia got the message. "Yes, I like you. I had a chance to tell you and I took it. That's why I wanted to come with you to the celebration. Now, will you just keep going?"

Tristan gave a smile which fluctuated between pleased and excited. He continued walking, his mood having been lifted.

When he brought her home, Amelia's parents did not react how Tristan expected them to.

Amelia's mother shook her head. "You tried fighting off sharpteeth again?"

Tristan furrowed his brows. _Again? This wasn't the first time this had happened?_

"You'll never learn," said her father, who looked to Tristan. "Thank you for bringing her back to us." He then went to nuzzle his wife. "I'm going to go bring the healer."

That night, Tristan didn't go home. He remained with Amelia. At some point, Michael and Molly rushed in, close to tears after they heard what had happened.

"You should have called for help," said Michael softly. "Diana and Andy weren't that far away."

"Neither were we," added Molly.

"I know," said Tristan, glancing over at the rainbow face sleeping next to him. "But I'm actually sort of grateful for that attack."

Michael looked at his friend strangely. "You are?"

"If it weren't for those fast biters, I would have never found out how Amelia felt about me."

Michael's eyes were wide. "Does that mean…?"

Tristan nodded.

"Wait until Diana and Andy hear about this!" Michael rushed outside, running towards where he knew the two dinosaurs were.

"Michael, no!" Molly rushed after him. "They're sleeping, don't bother them!"

Amelia lifted her head and opened one eye. She was still delirious and wondered if she'd missed something. Tristan touched her snout with his, speaking softly. "Shh, it's okay. Go to sleep. I'm here."

Amelia didn't have enough energy to question him, and quickly slipped back into her peaceful slumber.

Tristan looked up at the cloudy night sky; there was not a single star in sight. But Tristan knew that whether the nights were cloudy or starry, he would always be there.

...Tristan had fallen asleep, and hadn't even noticed. When he finally awoke, the bright circle was beginning to set. Mackenzie was asleep, and so was Miriam. Only Amelia was missing.

He set out to find her and eventually did, at the pond in which she had been wading in all day.

"Amelia?"

Amelia pulled her head out of the water. "Hm?"

Tristan climbed inside, allowing the water to soak his skin. "What are you doing out here, dear?"

He often used pet names for his wife, but he put a certain amount of emphasis on it this time around.

"Relaxing," Amelia answered flatly.

"Well, it's late. Come home."

Amelia stared into his eyes for a second, as if expecting something else.

"I'll come later on. You should go home and be with the girls."

"But it's not the same without you," insisted Tristan.

Amelia frowned. Tristan was making it difficult for her to be angry. "…You'll manage."

"Darling—"

"Don't 'darling' me," she interrupted. "You yelled at me for no reason, and I respect myself enough to not just let it slide."

Tristan knew it. His irrational behavior was the cause of all this, as if that wasn't already painfully obvious. He let out a sigh, and blew it all out, one by one.

"I know. I shouldn't have yelled, but it wasn't for no reason. I was worried about you. Remember that fast biter attack?"

"We've lived through _many_ fast biter attacks, Tristan."

"Remember the one during the celebration? You asked me about my parents?"

Amelia looked up, trying to recall the incident. "Yes…I think I do."

"Do you remember how you tried to tell me you were fine and wanted to walk, and I yelled at you?"

"Yes. You called me stubborn and hardheaded."

"Well…that's what happens when I get worried. I get angry, and I yell."

"I'm aware."

"Yes, and it's not right. I'm sorry for yelling at you, I just…I worry about you."

Despite Tristan's harshness, Amelia knew that he truly did have her best interests at heart, and that he held her in such high regard that he actually stressed over her well being. He'd spent most of his life alone, and Amelia couldn't hold that against him. She sighed, and shook her head.

"Oh, I know, darling. I know…and I'm sorry for making you worry. I understand that I need to be a little less reckless."

"Please," said Tristan. "That would be a relief. I know how stubborn you are and that you just want to protect me and the kids, but…we _are_ a team."

"I know." Amelia nuzzled his chin. "I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't." Tristan rested his head on top of hers. "Things have been rough, but I'm your husband. I'll always be here for you when you need me. Always."


	12. Chapter 12: Not in Vain

**Hello! I'm back with another flyer-centric chapter, and it's ridiculously long (about 21 pages in my word document, yikes), and I apologize for the lengthiness. But there is a lot that happens in this chapter. Enjoy and have a good week!**

"Come, Pterano." Kyra urged the male flyer to follow her into her home, and sat him down once they were inside.

Kyra was about to finally explain herself to Pterano, explain why she left, but from the very beginning. The way she envisioned it seemed to run so smoothly. It was simple. All she had to do was tell the truth. But a slither of self-doubt plagued her. She could start crying and make herself look like a fool, or maybe forget a crucial detail. Either way, it didn't matter. They were both here now, and Pterano was ready to listen.

She looked up, eyes nervously roaming around the cave. When Pterano noticed how apprehensive she was, hr held her hand, giving a reassuring smile.

Kyra made several attempts. She would begin to speak, and then trail off. Or, she would stutter and find herself unable to form words and sentences. Eventually, she gave up.

"I can't do it!" She cried, throwing her arms up in the air in defeat. "I can't do it...I need more time."

Pterano understood. He rubbed her shoulders, offering all the comfort he could.

"It's alright, dear. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here to listen."

Kyra nodded, allowing herself to be cradled in Pterano's arms as she recalled the day things began going downhill. She remembered all the flyers who died in vain, and the events that reduced her to what she was today.

...In the morning, everyone was busy, there was no vacancy to simply sit and do nothing. The dry season was well on it's way, and it was time to prepare and take necessary precautions.

Kyra was shaking the the tree stars from the tree, not even stopping to look at the leaves as they fell and gradually added to the growing pile at the foot of the tree. To speed up the task, Rinkus and Alex used their sharp teeth to manually strip the tree of it's tree stars.

Tress glided near the ground, flying with the swiftest agility as she picked up and more and more sticks and twigs, holding them in her beak.

Meanwhile, Randy had his upper body inside of a small opening in a cave, searching for anything that could possibly be useful. So far, he'd found nothing. That was, until he came across a blockage in the tunnel he was digging through.

Using his talon, he clawed away at a soil coated rock, moving it out of the way. As soon as he did, he was bombarded with thousands of bugs; crawlers, creepers, buzzers…the list was endless.

They ran over his body like a stampede, and Randy, absolutely terrified, let out a piercing scream. But this, especially coming from him, was nothing new. The dark gold flyer was notorious for things of this nature, especially when they backfired.

Elsewhere, a screech sounded through the sky. Pterano swooped down, landing right next to Kyra as he covered her eyes with his hands.

Kyra, however, was having none of it. Quite like a sand creeper, she used her claws to pinch Pterano's scaly skin until he finally granted Kyra the ability to see once more by removing his hands away from her eyes.

Pterano rubbed his arm, gazing at Kyra with an expression of false sadness. "Why, Kyra," he began dramatically, placing a hand upon his chest. "I'm heartbroken!"

Her smug aura plainly mocked him as she observed his dramatics.

Pterano could see that he wasn't going to get her attention so easily. No matter, he knew what had to be done. Bracing himself, he swept Kyra off his feet. Green eyes locked with black, and now, it was Pterano's turn to give off a sense of smugness. He quirked a brow, offering the most smug of smiles.

"So...Kyra, dearest. You were playing hard to get, hm?" His talons tip toed over her scales, tickling them gently.

Pterano knew many things about Kyra. But what he didn't know, was how powerful her reflexes were. Then, without even so much as thinking, Kyra kicked him, right in the stomach. She released herself, landing gently on the ground as she watched him writhe in agony.

Truthfully, she'd never meant to kick him so hard. It was purely on reflex. There was nothing more she could do other than offer a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Pterano. But look at it this way, now you know what not to do."

"Yes, thank you for the lesson," grunted Pterano as he struggled to rise back on his feet after being hunched over.

Kyra, who could simply not wipe that smile off of her visage, coiled an arm around his shoulder. In the distance, they heard the familiar sound of arguments being thrown left and right.

"I don't want 'em!" Yelled Sierra. "You can hardly fly, so it's gonna overwhelm you before ya know it. And you _know_ I hate kids!"

"You have to take some form of responsibility, Sierra." Danielle's vexation was evident in her voice.

"You can't just avoid everything like you always have! And besides, you like your siblings just fine."

"Goodness," breathed out Pterano. "Sierra and Danielle..."

"Are fighting?" Kyra finished for him.

"Hm," hummed Pterano. "Well, I'm sure they'll figure things out. I highly doubt they'd something like a petty fight ruin what they have."

Her gaze shifting towards Pterano, Kyra gave the smallest of smiles. "Yes, you're right." She then resumed her work.

"So, was there any reason you came to see me? Don't you have your own task assigned to you?"

"I just wanted to see you," replied Pterano, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth before it quickly fell. "But I did want to ask you something."

"Go on," mumbled Kyra.

Pterano looked towards Alex and Rinkus. "You two should probably go somewhere else for the time being, this is something between Kyra and I. Why don't you help Sierra and Danielle with their little...problem?"

He nodded in their direction, and the two flyers understood. They took off, granting Kyra and Pterano their privacy.

"Kyra," began Pterano. "What did you mean last night when you said that healing wasn't where your heart was? Do you not want to be a healer?"

A long sigh slipped through Kyra's beak as she turned to face him. "Well...no. Sure, I know a lot about it, that much is true. But I'm not very passionate about it."

Pterano pressed his talons against his forehead. "Then, why didn't you say something before?" Taking her hands into his own, he spoke soothingly.

"Kyra...you shouldn't have to do something you don't care about for the rest of your life."

Kyra's tone did not match his, it was more monotonous rather than soothing. "Well, it's too late now."

She proceeded to walk away, but was stopped by Pterano, who would not physically hold her against her will, but he would try and talk her out of simply walking away.

"Kyra, you can't give up so easily!"

Kyra stopped in her tracks. Turning around suddenly, she furrowed her brows. "Why not? I don't see what the problem is if I just do my job."

Pterano was at a loss for words, but he had to try.

Despite the strong rush of emotions coursing rapidly throughout her body, Kyra still managed to keep a relatively calm demeanor, even as she approached Pterano.

"It's nothing you'll understand."

Pterano could feel his confidence being shaken.

"What do you mean by that...? We've always understood each other."

"Yes. We have, and I'm so glad we have something so special. But this is different," retorted Kyra.

"I'm not doing this for myself. Everything I ever did, I never did it for myself. I always did it for the herd. You always saw me being so kind and formal, I'm not like that. I am kind, but I'm very opinionated too. I'm honest. I get into arguments easily. But aside from you, my family, and our friends...no one else in the herd can _know_ how I really am."

Pterano gazed at her with saddened eyes. "Kyra..."

Kyra however, didn't wish to hear what it was Pterano had to say."Pterano, please," she said, practically pleading with him while trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I need to do my work, so please leave. I'll see you later."

Not wanting to exacerbate her anger, Pterano paid heed to her words and left. He flew away with the hope that by the end of the day, she wouldn't be so frustrated, and that she would embrace him in the loving way she always did. However, that wasn't the case.

When Kyra finished her work, she immediately rushed to Kiara. She swooped up towards the cavern in which she and her mate, Charlie, resided in.

Kiara had recently become a mother of about ten hatchlings, all of whom had just turned a week old. They were extremely picky, and required constant attention. Kiara had hardly slept since they'd hatched, and was now even more sleep deprived since Charlie had come down with some sort of ailment.

Charlie was, on any other given day, a coltish and strong flyer the color of the crisp waters that seemed to surround the world he lived in. His eyes were a pale blue, the color of the sky. At the moment however, he sported an unhealthy looking pallor. As he rested in a bed of leaves and grass, he looked up at the petite flyer.

Kiara laid on her stomach, using her talons to tear apart a tree star into tiny bite sized pieces that her children could consume. Due to her lack of rest, wrinkles and lines had formed underneath her eyes.

Despite being ill, Charlie was more worried about the health of his mate. "Kiara?"

"Yes?" Kiara did not remove her attention from the task at hand. Once she'd managed to break down the entire tree star, she fed each hatchling their individual pieces.

"You should sleep," rasped Charlie. "You haven't slept since the babies hatched."

"I'll manage," Kiara shot back, directing her gaze towards the other flyer. "Now, did you need anything? Or did you just wake up simply to lecture me?"

There was pain in his gentle eyes. "Darling, I'm worried about you."

"Don't you talk to me about being worried," retorted Kiara. "Please, go to sleep. You're ill."

She had long ago accepted the fact that being a mother of ten, she would be busy. And if that meant she would have to forego her own needs and desires, so be it.

Realizing that he would be unable to win against Kiara's persistence, Charlie reluctantly drifted off to sleep. It was then that Kyra entered.

Kiara looked up, a gentle but thrilled smile gracing her tired face. "Kyra," she exclaimed softly. "Come in."

Kyra nodded and stepped forward, taking a seat beside her friend. "So," she began, getting straight to the point. "What seems to be the matter with Charlie? He's ill, right?"

"Very," answered Kiara. "He's not getting any better. It started out with him not being able to get up in the morning after our children hatched...but he's still the same."

Kyra furrowed her brows, pondering deeply. She'd definitely heard of this before, mostly in stories from wandering herds,

Suddenly, Kiara spoke up, sharing the same train of thought. "The night flower," she mused aloud.

"That's in the Land of Mists," said Kyra, having an inkling of where Kiara was going with this.

"Exactly," Kiara replied. "I can go and get it."

"No." Kyra shook her head, disapproving of her friend's idea. "Kiara, it's too far. And you haven't slept since your children hatched. I'm sorry, it's too dangerous."

"I'll be alright," Kiara insisted, spreading out her wings. She trudged over to the opening of her home.

"Will you look after the children, until I return?"

"Kiara..."

"I'll see you soon." Without another word, Kiara took to the sky.

"Kiara, no!" Kyra tried to stop her, but it was too late. She was already out of sight.

Kyra, accepting that she would simply have to remain where she was, made herself comfortable in the nest of grass and leaves right beside the more sturdy nest that had been made for the hatchlings.

About a moment later, Charlie stirred. Needless to say, he was taken aback when he saw Kyra nestled in the bed of grass rather than his loving wife. "Wh…Where's Kiara?"

Kyra did not try to hide the truth. "She went to the Valley of Mists to get the night flower for your sorry tail," she answered bluntly.

"What? That's so far! Not to mention dangerous!"

"Then when she gets back, you'd best make her feel loved and appreciated. Everyone takes her and her kindness for granted, and I want you to start showing some gratitude." She sighed, her voice growing softer. "There's nothing we can do right now, though. Just go back to sleep."

Kiara did not return until the following afternoon. She swooped towards her home, a bundle of jubilant colored night flowers in her beak. Her right wing seemed to be working harder than her left, which remained spread out. She landed gently, careful not to make her landing too rough.

"Kiara," Kyra breathed out, a wave of relief passing over her. "You made it back safe."

"Of course I did," Kiara said with a scoff. "You know me."

Kyra offered a small smile. She knew exactly what Kiara meant with that statement. She was a quick thinker, but made sure to consider each and every one of her actions and to think of the consequences. She also knew where and when to not poke her snout, a quality that Kyra could only wish some of her acquaintances retained.

Kiara shifted the flowers from her beak over to her talons. "I'll go give them to him."

She strolled over to her dozing husband. "Hey," she nudged him gently with her beak. When soft and tender gestures proved futile in waking him up, she roughly nudged him in the side.

"Mm?"

Charlie awoke suddenly. He looked around briefly, groggily muttering something to himself. He looked up to see his wife's lovely face, and all his worries seemed to vanish. He laid on his back, resting his head on his arms as his sickly face seemed to light up with joy.

"Kiara," he croaked feebly, "you're okay.."

"Eat these," she commanded, placing the now torn up pieces of the night flower in front of him. "They'll make you better."

Charlie lifted his head ever so slightly, chewing on the small yellow petals. The moment they touched his tongue, his face contorted in disgust. "These taste nasty," he complained.

However, he understood that he had no right to gripe about the taste, as Kiara had flown so far simply to get them for him. So, he decided to tolerate the bitter and horrid taste of the flowers.

Kiara then looked to Kyra, gratefully wrapping her one good wing around the other flyer. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me," Kyra replied, chuckling as she reciprocated the gesture. "You did what you had to do, and I did what I had to do. But…" she pulled away, her hands resting on Kiara's shoulders. "Your wing. Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

The night flowers were beginning to take effect, and Charlie was able to at least stand once more. "You got hurt?"

As he voiced his inquiry, he leaned against the cavern wall, requiring some form of support to hold his body upright.

"It's nothing to worry about," Kiara tried to reassure them. "I'm fine. Really."

Kyra stared at the injured wing. She noticed that Kiara was unable to bend it. Kyra wanted to offer her assistance and attempt to treat the injury, but she knew how persistent the smaller flyer tended to be.

"Alright," she sighed, not pushing any further. "I should go. I need to explain to Pterano why I didn't meet him. Give me a screech if you need anything, will you?"

Kiara nodded affirmatively, and watched as her friend flew off. She then ambled towards her spot next to the nest of hatchlings. She lay down, momentarily closing her eyes. As soon as she began to drift off to sleep, she heard a thud. Looking up, she saw Charlie nestled close beside her.

"Charlie," she murmured, attempting to sit up.

Charlie clearly disagreed. He did not allow her to sit upright. Rather, he rested his head on top of hers, wrapping his wings around her body.

"Don't get up."

"But you haven't recovered completely yet," Kiara protested, teal eyes wide with worry.

"It's no big deal," insisted Charlie. "I feel a lot better, thanks to what you did. Thank you." He closed his eyes, sighing dreamily, as he was fully content.

"Now, you should go to sleep. Okay?"

"Fine, but move over. You're going to crush the babies."

"Oh come on now, I'm not that big!"

"Charlie..."

"Ugh, okay!" Charlie scooted over, taking Kiara with him. "Better?"

Kiara closed her eyes, giving a pleased smile. "Much better. Good night, dear."

Charlie replicated her smile, nuzzling her beak and yawning. "Mm…night."

...

"Pterano?"

Pterano was in the middle of nibbling on a tree star when he saw the yellow flyer. His reflex reaction was to embrace her, but he recalled how coldly she'd spoken to him earlier.

"Oh, Kyra. Welcome."

Kyra could hear the iciness in his voice. "...Thank you. Uh...how are you?"

"Fine, thank you," replied Pterano. "And yourself?"

"I'm…doing alright, thank you." She paused for a moment. "Pterano, look. We need to talk."

"What about?"

"This isn't like you! You're usually not so…cold."

"So, you're allowed to tell me off, but I'm not allowed to act distant?"

"No, you are...I understand. I've been very unpleasant lately, I know. And I'm sorry."

Pterano sighed, and rose to his feet. He wrapped his arms around her. "I accept your apology, dearest. I was just getting fed up with your attitude. I was only trying to help..."

Kyra chuckled quietly. "I've been getting fed up with my attitude, too. I didn't want to be so mean."

Pterano nodded his head, glad that the rift between them had been bridged. "I've given what you said earlier some thought," he said, "…if you're fine with doing something you don't want, then I'll support you."

Kyra buried her head in his chest. "Thank you."

...

Several nights passed, and the weather patterns showed little sign of change or improvement. Luckily, Kyra had gathered enough green food to last for months. But she wondered if others had, such as Kiara. Concerned about her friend, she went to go pay her a visit.

When she landed, Kiara was nowhere to be found. There was only Charlie, who'd recovered miraculously and was his old self again, looking out at the horizon.

"Charlie?"

"Hm?" His eyes widened slightly and drifted to Kyra. "Hello, Kyra. What brings you here?" He seemed worried.

"Hello. Um...where's Kiara?"

"She went to go find green food for our little ones," he explained, gesturing to the nest full of hatchlings.

"Didn't you already store your green food away?"

"Yes, but our children are especially picky. They wouldn't eat any of the leaves Kiara and I found, and only wanted tree stars."

Kyra frowned slightly. "I know you don't want unsolicited advice on your children, but..."

Charlie cocked a brow. "That's not going to stop you from giving it anyway, is it?"

"I'm afraid not," said Kyra, shaking her head slightly. "Charlie, you have to give your children what they need, not what they want, or they're going to think they'll always get their way."

"I know, but Kiara loves them too much."

"Well, you should go find her and bring her back." A breeze slithered through the opening of the home, nipping at Kyra's skin. "It's some nasty weather out there, and she shouldn't even be outside."

Charlie knew she was right; in fact, he never wanted Kiara to leave in the first place. "I'm going to go find her," he decided, his wings creating a loud flap as he spread them apart. "Will you stay here with the children?"

"Of course." Kyra began ushering him outside. "Just go. And be careful."

Charlie braced himself against the turbulent winds, and took off. He soared through the sky, the sky water beating down on his skin. He could hardly see, but he was determined. However, even a husband determined to find his wife was no match for the unhinged fury of the weather. He opted to fly lower, where there was less chance of him crashing into something.

As he pulled himself in for a landing, he found her. Kiara dropped to her knees in front of him, battered and beaten. Her turquoise eyes were dull and relaxed, her breath escaping her in puffs of air.

Charlie felt a huge wave of relief, and prepared to approach her with open arms. However, he was stopped by a fast biter who stood in front of him, preventing him from being able to reach his wife.

Kiara looked up, and caught sight of Charlie, who told her to run, to just get away. She didn't. She was too exhausted. Several more biters picked up the scent of a creature in distress, and soon, Kiara was trapped.

Charlie couldn't bear to watch, and yet, he was unable to tear his eyes away. He cringed at the sound of flesh being torn apart until he couldn't stand it anymore. In spite of how dangerous it was, he swooped in and used the sharp talons on his feet to grab her by the shoulders and carry her away. As he flew back home, the wind and sky water seemed to be the least of his worries.

He set Kiara down on the cave floor, his hands chafing over hers. "Kiara. Kiara, honey. Can you hear me?"

Kiara looked up and smiled weakly, feebly clamping her hand around his. "Charlie..."

Kyra rushed over in somewhat of a panic. "What happened?!"

"A fast biter attack," explained Charlie. "She couldn't fly away, so I grabbed her and brought her home. Do you think she's going to be okay?"

"I don't know," said Kyra. "Her injuries look pretty serious. Hold on. I'm going to get my mom."

Charlie remained with Kiara, holding her close and talking to her in order to keep her conscious. The healer of the herd soon arrived, and did all she could. Charlie hoped desperately that Kiara would pull through, but he could tell by the healer's unexcited expression and movements that it wasn't so.

"I'm so sorry, dear," the healer said to Charlie. "There's too much damage. All you can do now is just stay with her until she passes…and perhaps let her say goodbye to her children."

The flyer had seen a lot in her lifetime, and had plenty of dinosaurs die in front of her eyes. Of course, she knew that this was all part of the circle of life. Once her work was done, she flew off.

Kyra didn't even realize that she was crying. She couldn't believe it. It didn't feel real, it felt like something had exploded too close to her, and she was still in shock from the suddenness of it. She walked over to the male flyer, extending a hand.

"Charlie..."

"Please leave me alone," said Charlie, on the brink of tears. "Just…leave."

Kyra could hardly imagine how Charlie felt. He'd loved Kiara for a long, long time. The two of them were going to raise children together, and now, Charlie would be doing it all alone. All their dreams and plans they had made together now meant nothing.

Once Kyra had gone, Charlie broke down into tears, burying his face in his hands. He cried and cried, and when he was all cried out, he laid down next to his mate. He held her, and expressed everything he ever wanted to say to her. Kyra and the others came by as well and said their goodbyes after receiving the devastating news. It was all very overwhelming for Kiara, but she had accepted it. She'd accepted that she was going to die.

Kyra brought the hatchlings over to their dying mother, but they quickly sensed something was amiss and began crying.

"Don't cry, children," Kiara coaxed in a feeble voice. "You'll have your father to take care of you now. I love you."

"And I love you," whispered Charlie to Kiara.

After everyone had bid Kiara farewell, they left. Charlie and Kiara went to sleep. It was almost the same as every other night they'd spent together, except that only Charlie was asleep; Kiara was dead.

When Charlie awoke in the morning, he forgot that Kiara was no longer with him.

"Kiara?" He gave the shoulder of her corpse a light shake. "Honey, wake up."

Kiara did not awaken and when Charlie remembered why, he lost it all over again.

Charlie soon began to have horrid sleep stories about Kiara from which he would always wake up crying, leaving him afraid to go to sleep. The sleep stories were recurrent enough to the point that his brother, Jan, and his wife, Alma, had to step up and care for the hatchlings while Charlie took time to recuperate.

...

Later on, the leader of the herd stepped up in front of everyone to say a few words. Pterano stood next to his father, who was the undisputed and respected leader.

"Yesterday, we lost a valuable member of our herd, who has left behind many who care about her. Children are left without a mother. A husband has lost a wife...but we must not despair, for such is the circle of life. We will carry on, and we will continue to thrive. Thank you."

Kiara wasn't the most popular or well known in the herd, but her death left a hole in everyone's heart. It seemed so sudden and unfair. No one dared to speak of it. They all buried themselves in their tasks, trying to forget about the whole ordeal, and didn't dare to think that their safety was threatened in any way.

...

"Oh Rinkus, it's just not fair."

"I know," said Rinkus, nodding his head as he looked back. "Poor Charlie…"

The land was going through a strange and bizarre transformation. After the days of sky water came weeks of nothing but blazing heat and searing sunshine. The cold times were over, but the dry season was already off to a rough start. Rinkus and Alex were off trying to find green food, and had thought to look in the huge bodies of water for some food that hadn't already been deprived of every drop of moisture.

"Rinkus, do you think that it's going to become dangerous? Living here?"

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. It's just that it's been years since a member of the herd died of something besides old age or sickness…I'm just scared of what's waiting for us."

Rinkus let out a chuckle, his accent evident in his cackles. "Oh, Alex. It's always going to be dangerous out here. That's why you've got to be smart." He tapped his head with his finger to get his point across.

"But, I think you're onto something. Perhaps we should talk to Pterano's dad? I doubt he'd listen, though."

"You're right," agreed Alex, shifting her icy gaze forward. "He _wouldn't_ listen. We'd be stupid to try."

The two flyers then picked up speed, and sped off towards the sparkling waters ahead. Alex stopped a few inches away from the surface.

"You think there might be some swimmers in here?"

Rinkus shrugged his shoulders. "There might be. Go take a look."

Alex peered inside the water, examining the ripples. "It doesn't look that deep..."

Rinkus spotted the tip of a snout, and menacing yellow eyes with narrow slits for pupils. His eyes widened, and he yelled at a volume louder than he knew he was capable of.

"Alexandra! LOOK OUT!"

A huge belly dragger reared it's ugly head, clamping it's teeth shut around Alex's entire left arm. She let out a screech, tears leaking from her eyes.

"AH! Rinkus! Rinkus, help me, it won't let go! Oh, it hurts…HELP ME!"

Rinkus was so startled and in such an immense amount of shock, that didn't know what to do. He couldn't move nor could he form words. A few seconds passed, and he finally returned to reality.

"Alex! Alex, hold on!"

Alex didn't have all the time in the world, and she knew it. " _Hurry_!"

Rinkus rushed back, and rammed right into Sierra, who had been with Danielle.

"Hey, watch it, will ya?"

"S-S-Sierra..!"

" _What_? Quit talkin' like that. It's annoying."

Danielle was more understanding. "Rinkus, what's wrong? Is someone in trouble?"

Rinkus nodded.

"Who?"

"A-A-Alex! Alex needs our help!"

Danielle didn't need to be told twice, and quickly flew ahead. When the three of them arrived, Alex was still kicking. She refused to be eaten, despite how the belly dragger thrashed her petite body around.

When Rinkus failed to do so, Danielle tried to distract the belly dragger by biting on it's tail, but it had a death grip on the lilac colored flyer.

Rinkus stared at the water, where he could see something else swimming around.

"Danielle! Get out of there!"

"Danielle!" Sierra was practically screaming. "MOVE, NOW!"

He noticed too late. A much bigger sharptooth swimmer emerged from the water, swallowing the two flyers and the belly dragger all in one go. With several powerful splashes and waves, it returned to the deep, and the water was calm once again.

There was a stunned silence as Sierra and Rinkus tried to take in what had just happened. A strange noise came from Sierra's throat as his hands curled into fists. He was going to blow.

Rinkus, however, was surprisingly efficient at dealing with his emotions. He was able to suppress them and not let them get in the way of his better judgement. He had to be strong. He looked to his friend.

"S-Sierra? Are you alright?"

Sierra turned to Rinkus, and mustered a smile. "I'm fine, buddy. I'm just fine." He clasped his hands around Rinkus' shoulder, and flew off.

Rinkus rubbed his shoulder, uncertain of whether or not it was broken from Sierra's grip. The events that had just taken place seemed almost surreal, but Rinkus was not one to deny the truth, especially when it was in plain sight. He took to the sky, following Sierra.

Kyra watched Sierra walk in, his yellow eyes glowing with a horrifyingly calm fury. She walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Sierra?"

"Don't touch me!" Sierra slapped her hand away with such force that he accidentally backhanded Kyra in the face.

Pterano saw this, and was infuriated. "Sierra! What's wrong with you?"

Sierra didn't even turn to look at them.

"Sierra! Apologize right this instant."

"Shut your trap," the light brown flyer spat.

Kyra rubbed her face where he'd struck her; it didn't hurt as much now, but she was not expecting that at all from Sierra. She looked at Pterano, who looked ready to fight him.

"Pterano," she said, restraining him. "No. It's okay. Let it be. There's no use in getting angry."

Pterano sighed resignedly, and directed his gentle gaze to Kyra. "Are you alright?"

Kyra nodded. "I'm fine. But I wonder what's gotten into Sierra..."

Just then, Rinkus flew in. He let out a grunt as he landed on his stomach, creating a cloud of dust as he hit the floor.

Kyra stared at him in bewilderment. "Rinkus?"

Rinkus propped himself up and dusted himself off. "Yes?"

"Do you know what's wrong with Sierra?"

Rinkus was silent a moment. "...He saw Danielle get eaten by a sharptooth swimmer. She was trying to save Alex. Neither of them made it."

Kyra's eyes were as wide as the bright circle. "W-What?"

"T-They're dead. Both of them." His voice was beginning to quiver.

Kyra felt physically weak. "You've got to be joking..."

"I wish I was, Kyra...I wish I was."

Pterano stepped forward, his dark eyes sad and sympathetic. He placed one hand on Rinkus' shoulder, and brought the other to his chest.

"Oh, Rinkus...I'm so sorry. Are you alright?"

"Well…no. I think that there'll be a lot of tears before I can be 'alright'." He made air quotes with his fingers. He then clutched his tail in his hands. "It's Sierra I'm worried about."

Kyra began to sob. She'd lost three of her friends, three of her most supportive and amazing friends. She was immensely grateful to still have Tress, but was devastated at how many friends she'd lost in such little time. Pterano hugged her, not uttering a word. When her sobs turned into gentle sighs, Kyra spoke up.

"What are we going to tell Jonathan? And Farrah? And Danielle's parents?"

"The truth of course," replied Rinkus. "Hiding this from them will only hurt them more. But don't worry, Alexandra was my girl. I'll take care of breaking the news to her parents."

"Then...who's going to tell Danielle's?"

"I will," announced Pterano. "Sierra is in no condition to tell them. He'd probably snap at them, and that is not what they need."

So, the three flyers split up to deliver the message. Kyra lingered near Rinkus, for she knew Pterano could handle the task himself.

Jonathan shifted his weight slightly, slinging an arm around his wife as he gave Rinkus his undivided attention. "What did you want to tell us, Rinkus? Are you going to ask to marry Alex?" He and Farrah laughed at his playful remark.

Rinkus once again clutched his tail, holding onto it to calm his nerves. "Well, uh…no. Y-You see, Alex and I went searching for green food. We were going to search at some of the watering places, but..."

"But what?"

"Alex...uh...oh, dear. She was eaten! She was eaten by a swimming sharptooth! I-I tried to save her, but I couldn't! It just wouldn't let go! I'm so sorry…"

The two parents didn't say anything at first. Farrah began to sob, and Jonathan simply tightened his grip around her. He was angry and devastated, but his anger was not towards Rinkus. None of this was his fault. "…Thank you, Rinkus. For everything." His voice was heartfelt, and his heart ached for the flyer whom he knew loved Alexandra more than anything.

Rinkus nodded, and skittered away. Kyra rubbed his back, and they knew that Pterano had told Danielle's parents when they began sobbing. Soon, Randy and Tress came over.

"We heard about what happened," said Tress. She'd never known Rinkus too well, but she knew that he genuinely cared about Alex, and that he was a mess inside, despite his calm outer appearance.

"Rinkus, are you doing alright?"

Rinkus managed a smile. "I'm, uh, coping. Thank you."

"I'm sorry, Rinkus," said Randy. "This never should have happened. It shouldn't have happened to Charlie, or to you..."

"Or Sierra," added Rinkus. "Danielle's gone, too. And I don't think Sierra's going to be able to take it."

Sierra was stronger than him, and he couldn't handle the loss of his mate. How was Rinkus going to handle the loss of his?

"...This is awful," said Tress, not bothering to make an effort to hide her sobs. "What's happening to our herd?"

Randy held her close. "It's changing. You know, everything has it's time. Maybe it's this herd's time now."

"Try telling that to my father," interjected Pterano, who calmly approached them.

Randy placed a hand on his hips. "Well, it's either we find a new place to live, or we all die. Give your old man a choice, and let him take his pick."

"That won't change a thing, I'm afraid. You know how stubborn my father is."

"Yes, Tress clearly got it from him."

" _Not_ a good time," said Tress, sniffling.

...

The next morning, when word of the demise of Alex and Danielle had gone around, Pterano's father spoke in front of the herd once more. It was nothing unusual; just a few words of respect and remembrance, and something about having to move on. At the end, he stated that it was now mandatory for flyers to leave in groups, and if they were to leave, they were to inform him or some other authority of their whereabouts.

While Kyra was glad efforts were being made to prevent this, she still greatly missed Alex and Danielle. She had trouble sleeping at night, and often dreamt about them, and Kiara as well. The herd was no longer as lively as it once was. Tensions were beginning to rise. And despite precautions, more flyers were being killed by sharpteeth and other forces of nature.

One morning, when Kyra was sitting near her home with her feet hanging over the ledge as she sobbed grossly, Randy came up to her. She quickly wiped her tears, and looked out towards the sky.

"Hey."

"Hm?" Kyra looked up, and saw her brother, hovering over her. "Oh. Hey, Randy."

Randy sat down next to her, a hand on her back. "What you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that. I know you're thinking about what's been happening lately."

"Then why'd you ask if you already knew?"

"Because I wanted to hear it from you. And...I'm worried about you."

Kyra sighed deeply. "...I just don't know what's going to happen. We might have to move, or maybe even split up. It's scary to think about."

"Yeah, it is." He had a forlorn look in his eyes, like he was having a moment of contemplation. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was back to his cheery self. "

But hey," he said, "at least _we'll_ be together. We're family, and we'll see this through to the end."

"You think so?"

"I know so. Maybe we could go to that Great Valley place everyone's been talking about."

"Is it even real? I thought it was just a story to give false hope. That's what it seems like, anyway."

Randy looked out towards the horizon, watching as the pink and purple clouds shifted across the warm sky.

"I think it is. There's gotta be some place like it. Our world _is_ pretty huge, you know."

Kyra smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know. You're pretty cool, Randy."

Randy reciprocated her gesture, resting his head on hers. "Thanks. I love you, sis."

"I love you too."

As they sat together in silence, they felt the ground tremble. Randy looked down, and saw rocks bouncing up and down. His brows furrowed with worry. When he looked up, he saw a trio of sharpteeth, taking a moment to sniff out any potential prey with their advanced sense of smell.

"Kyra." Randy protectively held out a wing in front of her. "Go inside."

"You come inside too," insisted Kyra.

"I will."

The sharpteeth's eyes turned to narrow slits as they noticed the two flyers. One of them tried to bite at Kyra, causing Randy to become even more defensive.

"Kyra, go inside! _Now_!"

Then, the earth truly began to shake. But this time, it wasn't just the dinosaurs' heavy mass causing the tremors.

Randy and Kyra both looked at each other; they knew what was happening. Earthshakes were not uncommon, but when they did hit, they were always unexpected. Suddenly, the part of the ledge that Randy had been sitting on shot up, slamming straight into another piece of rock.

The ground began to split open, causing the sharpteeth to fall into the gaping chasm. Kyra could hear the cries of several flyers who had been scooped up by the sharpteeth on their way down.

"Randy!" Kyra let out a scream of anguish as rocks tumbled, prompting her to take to the air. "Randy, _answer me_!" He never did answer her, and he never would.

The earth continued to split, the land masses ramming into each other. Flyers were everywhere, trying to escape their homes or trying to find the loved ones that they hoped hadn't been lost. Kyra did not know what to do, so she did what seemed to be the most sensible course of action. She followed the others.

Many flyers had managed to survive the catastrophic clash, but many had not been so lucky. The herd had dwindled significantly. The surviving members managed to find an area which hadn't been devastated by the huge earthshake, and gathered there.

Kyra's first instinct was to find her parents. She spotted her father, and without any reluctance, ran up to him, winding up in his arms.

"Papa! Oh, papa...I'm so glad you're okay..."

Her father held her tight, closing his eyes as tears flowed freely from his eyes.

"Oh, darling," he sobbed. "You're alright! I thought you might have gotten lost in the big earthshake...I wouldn't have been able to bear it if I lost you too."

Kyra shook her head. "I just followed the others."

Her father nodded his head. "Good."

"Um, papa?"

"Yes, love?"

"Where's mama...?"

He could only give a sad shake of his head as he slid to the floor, his back against the wall as the sobs came with full force.

Kyra understood. She sat down next to her father, coiling her arms around him. "Randy's gone, too. I didn't even see it coming..."

Kyra's father held onto her, grateful to still have one member of his family. "I know. I know."

Minutes passed without Kyra's father letting go, and frankly, Kyra didn't want him to. All they had was each other. Sticking together was important now more than ever.

As she clung to the older flyer, Kyra spotted Tress going from flyer to flyer, an apprehensive look on her face. She carefully examined her, trying to understand what she was saying.

"Hello, have you seen my mate? He's a dark gold flyer named Randy, he's the son of the healer."

She always looked hopeful when describing him, but when she was met with a 'no, sorry' and a shake of the head, her optimism suddenly vanished. When she saw Kyra among the crowd of flyers, her eyes widened and she rushed over.

"Kyra," she said in a soft voice, her hands over her chest. "Have you seen Randy?" She looked around nervously. "I can't find him anywhere..."

Kyra's heart broke. She looked her friend in the eye, firmly grasping her shoulder. "...I'm sorry, Tress."

Tress knew what was coming. "No...please, no."

"He was crushed during the big earthshake."

"Crushed...?"

"Literally," said Kyra, her voice trembling. "The ledge he was sitting on went up right into another piece of rock, and then the whole thing collapsed. Wherever he is, I'm afraid he's lost forever."

A range of emotions danced across Tress's face. Her eyebrows furrowed with anger, but her dark eyes held shock and disbelief. "That _can't_ be true...it can't be!"

"I'm so sorry." Kyra reached out to Tress, but she wouldn't let Kyra come near her.

"But I was going to lay our eggs," said Tress, who looked as if she'd seen a sharptooth. "We were going to have kids together!"

"I know," said Kyra, gesturing with her hands as she pleaded with Tress to calm down. "I know. It's not fair at all."

Tress began to weep, and stormed off, her face buried in her hands.

"Kyra!"

"Hm?" She had barely turned her head, and found herself cradled in Pterano's arms.

"I found you at last," sighed Pterano, pulling away and nuzzling her with his beak. "Where were you? Have you been here this entire time?"

Kyra hummed contentedly, feeling at peace in her lover's arms. She looked up at him, green eyes glistening. "Never mind me, where were _you_?"

"I was checking for survivors," explained Pterano. "Trying to see if anyone I knew had perished. My father is proud of me for it, but I mostly did it to find you."

Kyra shook her head. "Oh Pterano, you're so conniving. I love you. But who do you know that's survived?"

Pterano thought for a moment as he tried to recall all the flyers he'd checked in with.

"Let's see...I found Charlie and what's left of his family, you, and my parents. But my mom is injured, and I don't know if she'll last much longer."

Kyra's hands flew over her mouth. "Oh, no. How is your father holding up?"

"He seems...indifferent. But, I know that he's a mess inside. He won't let anyone go near her."

He looked back at his father, who held Pterano's mother in his lap. His eyes were cold and uncaring, but the way he held her was tender and gentle.

"Anyway...I also found my sister, and Sierra and Rinkus. Jonathan hurt his leg, and Farrah can no longer fly. Sierra's brother and sisters are safe, thankfully, and so is the flyer that looks after them." He paused. "I couldn't find Randy, or your mother. Have you received any word on them?"

"They're both dead," Kyra said bluntly. "And before you ask, no, I'm not okay, and no, I don't want to talk about it."

The flyers were now huddled together, murmuring and talking amongst themselves. These were mostly panicked conversations, where they were fearful of what the future held. Soon enough, Pterano's father stepped up, putting an end to all the chatter.

He took a deep breath, his dark eyes sullen and downcast before he looked up. "…We have lost much in a short time. Many of us have lost our husbands and our wives, and our mothers and fathers. Many of us have lost our homes to that horrid earthshake. It's important now that we stick together. We can't afford to lose more than we already have. From now on…everyone pulls double duty. Each and everyone of you works, regardless of who you are. And if I hear that you're slacking off, and I will know if you are, you will be disciplined accordingly."

He gave the downsized herd one last icy glare, and retreated back to where his family stood.

The conversations resumed, and they were more fearful. Rather than instilling calmness, the leader of the herd had instilled fear.

That night, Kyra's sleep stories had worsened in intensity. They felt unbelievably real, and were simply forcing her to relive the deaths of her loved ones, one by one. Her eyes suddenly flicked open, and she awoke to the pitter patter of sky water outside.

As she looked out at the dark sky, she noticed that the night circle was not watching over them tonight. She could feel an uneasiness around her.

One of these days, someone who'd lost someone near and dear to them would snap and revolt against the leader in midst of their grief. It was inevitable. Their leader was becoming a tyrant, slowly, and the worst had yet to come.

Kyra rose to her feet, and carefully maneuvered way over the sleeping families, taking care not to step on anyone's feet or tail. Once she was at the entrance, she could feel the sky showering her in cold, wet kisses of sky water.

She wanted to start over, begin a new life somewhere. She felt terrible leaving the only home she'd ever known, but at this point, it didn't even feel like home. Even those who made it so special were beginning to change. Kyra looked back at her father, and then at Pterano and Tress. She even looked to Rinkus and Sierra as well. She silently hoped they would all be okay.

"You will _always_ be in my heart," she whispered so softly that it was silenced by the rain. Then, she looked forward and never looked back.

…Kyra found that her face was soaked in tears. She wondered if Pterano had stayed with her. He had. He kept his arms around her, allowing her to weep to her heart's content.

"I was just unhappy," she sobbed. "I didn't meant to hurt any of you, I just wanted to be happy...I know it was selfish and cowardly, but I never meant any harm.."

Pterano brought her closer to him. "I know, dearest. I know how you are. You are the type who knows what she wants. You just wanted to be happy, and the moment you weren't, you ran to the hills."

Kyra grasped his arms, her eyes moist and puffy.

"I've made you unhappy several times," said Pterano. "And yet, you stayed with me. You wanted to make it work, so I know you truly loved me. And I think that now we can make it work. We can truly be happy."

"I think so too," Kyra managed through her hiccups. "We don't have to abide by rules, and we are protected here. Randy and the others won't have died in vain."

Pterano didn't quite catch her meaning. "What do you mean, dear?"

"I know that Randy, as well as our friends who died, would want us to be happy." Kyra swallowed a lump of air in her throat. "I won't insult their memory by not pursuing happiness or not trying to improve myself."

Pterano understood now. Their friends might have died, but not in vain.


	13. Chapter 13: Parenthood

**Hey, guys. I know I'm updating really quickly, but I'm just trying to post what I already have finished, which is a lot. Anyway, here's another chapter that focuses on the rainbow faces (actually, a few of the next chapters will focus on them). Enjoy!**

Amelia was never one to pay much attention to her injuries, being that they were mostly scrapes and bruises. But this was different. The multiple angry claw marks still caused her pain, even while sleeping. She'd gone to the watering hole to relieve herself, but it was no use.

Carefully, she brushed her snout against her gashes, wincing at the acute stinging sensation they brought on.

Normally, she would be with her daughter, who was recovering from a bout of her illness, but Amelia was more concerned about herself at this point. But it would seem that this was just another injury which she would have to miserably wait out. Defeated, she ambled towards the shade near her home, where Tristan was resting.

Tristan looked up, squinting at her before smiling. "Do you feel any better?"

Amelia took a seat next to him, chuckling cynically. "I'm afraid not. It's fine, though. I can walk, at least."

Tristan gave a worried glance as he watched her rest her head on his shoulder. "Are you sure?"

Amelia made herself comfortable, closing her eyes. "Yes," she murmured. "Don't worry. How's Miriam?"

"Sleeping," replied Tristan. "No teenager's ever up _early_."

Amelia let out a chuckle and opened her eyes, revealing those blue oceans.

"I remember when they'd be up before us. Don't you?"

Amelia nodded, still smiling. "Yes, I remember. But I also remember those sleepless nights before I laid the eggs and then waiting for them to hatch. Do you remember that?"

"Yes." Tristan gave a reciprocal nod. "I can't believe how hard that was…on you, of course."

Amelia nodded in agreement. There was not a single part of raising a family that had been easy for either of them.

... "You want to _leave_?"

"Yes," answered Tristan. "But hear me out first."

Amelia was highly skeptical. "Why would you want to leave? This is our herd, our friends are here. My _parents_ are here."

"Yeah, and mine aren't," retorted Tristan. "But would you just listen?"

Amelia folded her arms. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Okay." Tristan sighed inwardly. "First of all, you know that sharpteeth can easily find our territory. You know that, don't you?"

Amelia nodded quietly.

Tristan brought his hands to his chest. "If we're going to have children, I want them to be raised somewhere safe. I want _you_ to be safe."

Amelia hated to admit it, but Tristan definitely knew her soft spots and where to strike them.

"I know, I know. I just…I've lived here all my life, and I don't want to leave…"

"I understand." Tristan clasped her shoulders, his eyes pleading with her. "But this could be our first mark of independence. Leaving the herd, leading our own life. Starting a family. And it would just be us. Together."

 _Together_. Amelia took great pleasure in hearing those words escape Tristan's mouth, especially when it was in regards to the two of them. "…Alright. I'll go with you."

In that moment, it felt like a great weight was lifted off of Tristan's shoulders, but a new one was added on. Amelia would be his mate. He would have to take care of her, provide for her, and their children. But knowing her, Tristan had an inkling that Amelia wouldn't permit him to endure all this alone.

"Wait," interfered Amelia. "My parents. What will they say?"

"They consent," answered Tristan.

"What?" Amelia asked incredulously. "You spoke to them? And they didn't tell me? _You_ didn't tell me?"

"They wanted to surprise you," clarified Tristan with a gentle shrug of his shoulders. "Now, I'm going to go see our leader. Would you like to come with me?"

"No thank you," declined Amelia. "You can tell him, but I don't think he'll like the idea at all."

Tristan didn't quite blame her for not wanting to tag along. Their leader wasn't the most talkative, and mostly kept to himself. He also had a bothersome habit of jumping to conclusions.

So, Tristan went off. He marched over to the cave, where two rainbow faces were standing watch.

"Tristan?" One of them inquired, his bright basil green eyes burning like fire. He had a strong accent. "It _is_ Tristan, isn't it?"

Tristan gave an affirmative and lone nod of his head. "It is. Hello, Bruno. How's Aurora?"

Bruno was a tall and sturdily built dinosaur who grew up learning how to fight. His head was held high with authority, and his body was covered in gashes from past battles. Despite his harsh demeanor, he always gave someone his full attention when they spoke to him.

"She's fine," answered Bruno. "Thank you. What are you doing here?"

"I want to see our leader."

"Bruno?" Interjected another rainbow face, plowing into a pile of green food. His dark grey eyes were unfeeling, and his voice cold and harsh. "What's going on? What does _he_ want?"

"He wants to see the leader," explained Bruno.

"What for? Send him away."

Bruno gave a slight nod, his stoic frown never parting from his face. "I'll take care of it, Hazel."

He shifted his stony gaze to Tristan.

Tristan stood his ground. "Look, Bruno, this is important. When have I ever asked to see our leader before?"

The other had a point. "Alright," Bruno said begrudgingly. "Wait here."

He skittered off into the cave, and spoke loudly enough for Tristan to gather the conversation.

 _"Excuse me, sir, Tristan wants to see you."_

 _"Tristan?"_

 _"Tara and Timothy's son. Is it alright if I bring him in?"_

 _"Ah, I see. Yes, go ahead."_

Bruno sauntered back outside. "Come on then," he said before muttering something quietly under his breath. " _I'm going to get my tail chewed off for this_."

The leader, whose name remained ambiguous to everyone, was an old dinosaur who'd seen more than his fair share of the world. He remained confined to his cave, unless it was absolutely necessary that he go outside. Wrinkles formed on his skin, but one could tell that he used to be quite handsome.

"Now, Timothy," he began, taking a moment to pause as he scarfed down some tree stars. "It _is_ Timothy, correct?"

"No, sir." Tristan didn't think his name was that hard to remember. Perhaps it was a sign that he should have been putting more effort into conversing with the others.

"It's Tristan," he corrected. "Timothy was my father's name."

"Ah," said the leader, suddenly recalling the rainbow face's name. "Tristan. I knew your mother and father well. You have Tara's eyes."

Tristan thought his mother had beautiful eyes, but he wasn't sure if the older rainbow face thought the same. Still, he did not wish to show any disrespect. "Thank you."

"Now, how can I help you?"

"Well, uh, don't take this the wrong way, sir—"

"I'll interpret it however I wish. Now, out with it."

Tristan flinched slightly. "Of course, sir. Erm, well…I've chosen my mate—"

"That's wonderful. You didn't need to come here to blab about it, though."

Tristan wished he'd stop interrupting. Had it not been for his status, Tristan would have snapped at him already. "That's not it, sir."

"It's not?"

"No. You see, I discussed it with my mate, and we both want to leave the herd."

"Now, why would you want to do _that_?" His voice was notably icier.

"It's not how it looks! We have enjoyed living here all our lives, but we want to be independent. This place is too..."

"Too what?"

"Exposed, sir. We want to raise children, start a family. Ambushes happen easily here, and I want to be sure that my family is safe."

"Where would you go? And what about food? We have more than enough green food to sustain us here."

"Somewhere with more cover, sir. And green food isn't a problem."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Hm. And who is your mate, exactly?"

"Amelia, sir."

"Amelia…whose daughter is she?"

"Alice and Arthur's."

"Arthur is her father, you say? Have he and Alice agreed to this?"

"They consent."

"And your parents?"

Tristan's face fell. He understood that the other was old and that his memory failed him. He couldn't hold this against him.

"My parents are dead, sir."

"Oh. Yes, that...that's right. My apologies."

"Don't worry about it."

"Anyway…since the parents consent, I can't stop you from leaving. But once you leave, your home will become fair game. Anyone can occupy it once you're gone. Do you understand?"

"I understand, sir."

"Very well. It was nice of you to come, Timothy."

"Tristan," he corrected once more. "My name is Tristan, sir." He sighed and turned towards the exit.

"Anyway, thank you for listening. Enjoy your day."

"You do the same."

As Tristan left, he could hear the leader complaining to Bruno. He thought nothing of it, and rushed back home.

...

The bright circle was high in the sky, it's bright light extending towards the land. It was now midday. Tristan was out grazing with his friends, using his long glass to pull grass from it's roots.

Michael looked up at Tristan, the leaves falling from his agape mouth. "You're _leaving_?"

"And Amelia too," added Tristan.

This grabbed Molly's attention. "What? When was _this_ decided?"

"Today," answered Amelia. "My parents agreed to it, and so did the leader."

"Why would you want to leave?" Michael cried. "Look, whatever it was that I did, I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything," began Tristan. "...Actually, that's a lie. But we're not leaving because of you."

"Then why _are_ you leaving?"

Tristan looked around. "This place isn't safe. Amelia and I want to start a family, and there's a good chance of an ambush around here. We want to be somewhere more sheltered."

"There's plenty of caves," argued Molly.

"That's not what I meant," said Tristan, shaking his head. "We want to be more towards the mountains. It's not as easy for sharpteeth to attack us."

Amelia stepped up, using her tail to lift Molly's chin. "Listen. I know you're going to miss us, we're going to miss you too. But I think...this is what's best. Tristan and I want to be independent and safe."

Molly looked down. "I suppose..."

"Besides," resumed Amelia, "we can always come back for a visit and bring our children with us. And maybe by then, you'll have children of your own. Wouldn't that be exciting?"

Molly was being talked to somewhat like a child, but she was behaving like one. She saw how often Tristan and Amelia bickered, and wanted to be there to support her friends in the unfortunate event that things didn't work out. But she had to believe that they would. After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and nodded. Then, the two embraced.

Michael then slapped Tristan on the back with his tail. "I'll miss you, man. There's no one else who's put up with me for so long. Except Molly."

"I'll miss you too," said Tristan, smiling at Michael. And for once, he wasn't mocking him.

Andy and Diana woke up just in time to say goodbye and embrace their friends. Then, with the bright circle watching over them, Amelia and Tristan embarked on their journey.

...

They managed to find a suitable place to call home, and began building their nest there. At first, life was good. It was just the two of them, at last. Just like they had always wanted. But when Amelia laid her eggs, she was more defensive and more of a handful.

She had laid two round white eggs with gray speckles. She carefully got them situated into the nest, gently nudging the eggs to position them correctly and grabbing bedding from their nest to add comfort.

"Amelia," Tristan said with a slight chuckle as he sat down and nuzzled her. "I don't think they can get any more comfortable."

She let out a sigh. "Oh Tristan, they are beautiful, aren't they?"

Tristan tilted his head. He didn't think of them as fascinating in any respect; they were just eggs.

"...Sure."

Amelia gave him a glare which prompted him to quickly change his answer.

"Of course, they're going to be more beautiful when they hatch. It's what's on the inside that's important." He nuzzled her once again to keep her happy. "And I think you're even more beautiful for doing this in the first place."

Amelia gave a laugh, her eyes closing as she reciprocated his gesture.

Tristan gave her one more brief nuzzle before peering outside. "It's dark. You should sleep."

"What about the eggs?"

"They'll be fine." Tristan rested his head on top of hers. "I'll keep watch. Sleep."

Tristan did keep watch as he promised, at least for a while. As it would turn out, even he couldn't stay awake all night.

He awoke to Amelia sitting across from the nest, her eyes fully focused on the eggs nestled in the leaves and grass.

"Amelia?" Tristan lifted his head. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping watch," she replied icily. "Since you fell asleep."

Tristan sighed under his breath. She'd barely laid those eggs a day ago. "Well, I'm here now," he said, standing up. "Go to sleep. I'll watch them."

"Yeah," jabbed Amelia. "That's _exactly_ what you said last night."

"I stayed up for long as I could," argued Tristan, his frustration evident in his voice. "I was trying my best not to fall asleep, but I did anyway."

"So what makes you so sure you can watch them now?"

"I'm their father, and I'm your husband. I have both of your best interests at heart, so move."

Amelia scowled at him. "If you..."

"I won't fall asleep," he assured her. "I'm well rested and can look after them, so you should be the one sleeping right now."

"Alright. Can you get me some green food?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry. Can you try and find us some breakfast?"

Tristan knew he was not yet at his wit's end, but he was certainly approaching it. "Fine," he snapped. "You stay here."

He pranced away, and ran to a nearby tree, stripping it of it's long and slender leaves. He held the leaves in his mouth, and came loping back. When he returned, Amelia's head hung low, and she was fast asleep.

Tristan dropped the leaves into a pile, and chuckled. He sat next to her, allowing her to lean on him as he watched over his family.

As the weeks passed, Amelia grew more and more protective of the eggs, and more difficult to tolerate.

On a cool midsummer night, the two expecting parents were slumbering peacefully when Tristan was awoken by Amelia.

"Tristan," she whispered. "Tristan."

Tristan groggily opened one eye. "Why are you whispering? They can't hear you."

Amelia disregarded his statement. "Listen. Can you catch me some buzzers?"

Tristan closed his eye. "Can't it wait until morning? And we have plenty of green food here."

"I know, but it's been so long since I've had buzzers."

"It's late, Amelia. If you want them so badly, you'll have to get them yourself. Don't worry, I'll be here with the eggs."

"I can't leave you here alone with the eggs."

"You did before."

"Yeah, but I was right next to you. That doesn't count."

Tristan opened both of his eyes and turned a slight amount. "So, you don't trust me?"

"Well...no."

"You want me to be their father, but you don't trust me. I see how that works."

"Tristan, no. You're taking this the wrong way. I just feel better when they're with me. Can you please get me some buzzers?"

"Ugh." Tristan rolled onto his feet and headed outside. "These kids best be worth it," he griped.

He scavenged for buzzers, picking up their scent and following it. However, his nose instead led him to a lone swarming leaf gobbler munching on a leaf. Tristan hated them, but they did taste good. He prepared himself, poised to attack. Then, when the insect was most distracted, Tristan lunged forward and grabbed it with his mouth, digging his teeth into it's skin until the leaf gobbler was no longer moving. He flashed a pleased smile, and began the trek back home.

On his way home, he somehow managed to trip and fall into a thorn bush. He let out a muffled cry of pain and quickly used his tail to scrape the thorns off of his thigh.

When he finally arrived, Amelia was waiting for him. He dropped the meal in front of her.

"Here. I hope you like it."

Amelia gasped softly, a smile slowly forming on her face as she gratefully dug in. As she munched on a piece of it's leg, she looked up at Tristan, her eyes widening when she noticed a cut on his thigh.

"Tristan?"

He sighed. "Goodness, woman, what do you _want_?"

Amelia frowned. "I want you to tell me how you got hurt."

Tristan blinked, and his eyes drifted to where the thorns had left the mark.

"Oh. I fell in a thorn bush. It's just a cut."

Amelia was astonished. He'd gotten hurt, and still, he managed to make it back with what she'd asked for.

"Oh, darling." She placed her head under his chin. "I'm sorry. You're so wonderful. I know I've been a handful lately, but it's just because I'm worried."

Tristan sunk in gratefully, closing his eyes. "I know that. You're their mother. And you're going to make a wonderful one."

Amelia sighed contentedly. "You'll be a great father too. I know you will."

"Hopefully," he said with a chuckle.

With the misunderstandings between them cleared up, they went back to sleep. Tristan rolled over slightly onto his back, letting out a yawn.

"Tristan! Be careful!"

"What?"

"You'll squish them."

Tristan glanced over at the nest. He was ten feet away from the eggs, maybe more.

"No, I won't. You're overreacting."

"Tristan. Move over."

Tristan was in no mood to argue, and begrudgingly obliged. "Happy, darling?"

Amelia smiled, closing her eyes. "Yes, dear."

...

After what felt like ages, the day that they had both been eagerly awaiting finally arrived. Amelia awoke to the sound of rustling in the nest. She opened one eye, and noticed a crack forming in one of the eggs.

"Tristan!" She yelled, her eyes wide and gleaming with anticipation. "Tristan, come and look!"

Tristan rushed inside, worried that something was wrong, judging from how his wife was yelling at the top of her lungs.

"What? What happened? Are you alright?"

"The eggs are hatching!"

Tristan dropped everything, and sped over. He leaned in close, watching as a leg burst out of the shell, and then another. The arms were next, followed by the head. The remainder of the egg shell fell off, revealing a tiny rainbow face with innocent jade green eyes.

"It's a girl!" Amelia exclaimed.

"How do you know?" Tristan asked incredulously.

"I'm her mother, I just know. Now, hold her."

"No, I don't want to hurt her."

"Tristan, you won't hurt her."

"You can't be sure of that."

The newborn rainbow face waddled over, her legs unsteady. She tripped over her own feet, falling forward. Tristan acted upon his instincts, using his snout to catch her.

"See?" Amelia nuzzled her hatchling, her eyes fixated on Tristan. "You're doing just fine. She likes you."

Just then, the next egg began to hatch. This hatchling took it's sweet time, and seemed almost reluctant to hatch. Amelia used her snout to help things along, watching as the hatchling fell over and quickly propped herself up. It was also a girl, with sleepy emerald green eyes they gave off the impression of a constant state of laziness.

"She's beautiful," said Tristan, absolutely smitten with his newborn daughters. He nuzzled her and then looked to his other daughter before nuzzling her as well. "They both are."

Amelia began to sob at the sight of her children. "I never thought I could love something so much..."

"That's what I thought when I first met you," said Tristan. He leaned over and allowed her tears to fall and leave wet spots on his snout. "What do you want to name them?"

"That's a bit creepy Tristan," joked Amelia, who did appreciate his words. She gestured to the more energetic hatchling. "She'll be Mackenzie," she paused and gestured to the other baby dinosaur, "and this will be Miriam."

"You chose names for them?"

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

"No, I just thought we would be doing that together."

"Fine. Do you like Miriam and Mackenzie as names?"

Tristan averted his gaze. "...Yes, I do."

Miriam and Mackenzie were now playing together like children usually did, with Mackenzie nudging Miriam in the side, and Miriam giggling. There was a loud clap of thunder, causing both hatchlings to squeal before running to hide and cower behind their mother's leg.

Amelia nuzzled her daughters. "Shh. You're okay." She closed her eyes. "You're okay."

...

"Mom! Mom!"

"Mom, wake up!"

Tristan slept beside his wife, a sly grin on his peaceful face. "Your daughters are awake, darling."

Amelia groaned underneath her breath. "I hate you. You did this to me. And they're _your_ daughters too."

"They may be, but they're calling for _you_."

He had a completely valid point, she had to admit that. She rose to her feet, looking down at Miriam and Mackenzie.

"Alright, I'm up. What is it?"

Mackenzie hopped up and down. "Come look!"

Amelia followed her children outside, where the entire landscape was covered in a thick blanket of snow. Tristan followed her moments after.

"They brought me out here...to look at snow."

Tristan chuckled. "Well, at least we've got our green food stored away. Come on, let's go follow them."

The snow crunched underneath their feet as they watched Miriam prance around an icicle hanging from the branch of a tree. She licked the sleek, icy surface, only to get her tongue stuck to it. She tried to pull her tongue off, but it wouldn't budge.

Amelia shook her head, a knowing smile on her face. She looked to Tristan. "Go help her."

Tristan went to go help his daughter, while Amelia went to search for Mackenzie. She found her very quickly, sliding down the snow covered hill, heading straight towards her. There was a loud crash as snow landed everywhere; on Amelia and Mackenzie, and even on Tristan and Miriam.

Amelia shook the snow off of her, glaring at her daughters.

"That's enough playing in the snow for you two. Now, come inside."

Miriam and Mackenzie protested against their mother's orders, but Tristan ushered them forward.

"Listen to your mother."

The two juvenile rainbow faces followed their mother and father inside with reluctance and thought they might win the argument, but Tristan was firm.

The cold time dragged on, and the snow was soon brutal and harsh, and no longer fun to play in. However, in the course of due time, the cold times were soon over. The snow melted away, and plants slowly sprouted in the warmth.

Tristan and Amelia took their children to the lake, which was no longer frozen over. They stopped to take a drink and went on their way. Miriam spotted a tree sweet growing on a pad drifting in the water, and opened her mouth to take a bite.

Tristan grunted disapprovingly, communicating that she wasn't allowed to eat the plant. Miriam whimpered and sadly followed her parents and sister.

Behind her, a herd of longnecks were approaching the lake. Miriam didn't get to see other dinosaurs very often, mostly since her parents always managed to catch her before she was given the chance. She darted across the water, returning to her family.

"Mommy, look!"

Amelia smiled and nodded her head. "I see them, love. Those are longnecks."

"Longnecks?"

"Yes. They use their long necks to reach the tallest trees."

"Can we reach those trees?"

Amelia chuckled softly. "No, I don't expect that we can. We usually take green food from smaller trees and from the ground."

"Your mother's very smart," added Tristan.

"Yes, well. I suppose. Now, come on."

Miriam took one last look at the longneck herd before running off, trailing close behind her mother.

Miriam and Mackenzie continued to be quite the handful as they grew. Mackenzie retained her rambunctious spunk, and Miriam never stopped trying to sneak away in an attempt to explore more of the world surrounding her.

The teenage age years were when the real test of Amelia and Tristan's relationship began. With the girls getting older and making their own decisions, Amelia and Tristan found that their beliefs clashed and butted heads.

"They're only _kids_ , Tristan."

"I don't care if they're only kids," he spat. "They've got to stop wandering off! The next thing you know, they get attacked by a sharptooth, and I'll tell them 'I told you so'. And while knowing I was right is a nice feeling, I don't want to have that feeling at _their_ expense!"

He massaged his forehead, a sigh of exasperation slipping from his mouth. "You're their mother, they listen to you. Tell them to stop breaking the rules and to start listening to us!"

"It doesn't matter how many rules you implement, they're still going to break every single one of them."

"Not if I have anything to do with it."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "I'd love to see how that turns out."

Tristan whipped his head around, pressing his snout against hers. "Are you questioning my ability as a father?"

Amelia felt that such a reaction was supposed to intimidate her, but she only found it amusing, and chuckled.

"Tristan! You are _overreacting_. They're not going to rely on you forever."

Tristan suddenly stopped yelling, his voice quieting down to a meek whisper. "I know..."

"Oh, love..." Amelia rubbed the area underneath his chin with her snout. "You know that _I'll_ always need you. Even when the girls have gone and made families of their own, I'll still rely on you. Because I know I can."

Tristan closed his eyes, a ghost of a smile lingering as he rested his head on her shoulder.

As short tempered as Tristan was, he couldn't help but admire his wife's sanity. Often times when he would yell or go on a full blown rant, Amelia managed to keep a calm and level head, talking to him in the soothing manner that he loved.

"I know, darling," he said, finally having calmed down. "I suppose I can put up with their disobedience a little while longer without going mad."

Amelia laughed at his remark. "Oh, don't worry. They'll be worth it. When they're all grown up, you'll see."

"I hope so. I didn't exactly cover myself in glory just now. I was a blubbering mess."

"Aren't you always?"

Tristan's first reflex was to react in anger, but Amelia's laugh was so contagious that he couldn't help but laugh along as well.

...Reminiscing about their journey as parents was a more effective way to kill time than either of them expected. It was now afternoon, almost time for lunch.

"So, Tristan," began Amelia, " _were_ the kids worth it?"

Tristan looked to his wife and smirked. "I guess. But somehow, I remember them being cuter and less annoying."

Amelia offered a gentle laugh, nuzzling him. "Oh, I know. But I think we've done an excellent job so far, don't you?"

Tristan reciprocated her gesture of affection. "Of course. Being a parent is a reward in itself. And I'm glad I get to do it with you."


	14. Chapter 14: Coming Back Around

**Hey guys, I just realized that yesterday was the anniversary of when I published this story back in 2015! I can't believe it's been a whopping two or three years already. Thanks for the support, and I hope you guys enjoy.**

Miriam spent the next several days resting, and trying to get back on her feet. After years of good health, her body had taken a major blow. This wasn't something that could simply be healed overnight. Her recovery was very slow and drawn out. She had to rest to regain her strength, and by then, her muscles had atrophied so much that she found it difficult to walk. Her parents helped her, urging her to walk everyday with them by her side.

And now, it was her first day back outside. Even if she was walking on her own without support, Miriam hardly felt like herself. She found herself getting angry at everything; she almost snapped at a hatchling for giggling. Even her father's anger wasn't this bad. But perhaps, this too was something that would pass in time.

"Be careful, dear," Amelia warned her. "And don't go too far."

Miriam groaned. "Got it, mom," she replied angrily. "Now leave me alone and stop annoying me."

"Also, watch out for the sky water," Amelia added. "It's still a bit slippery."

"I _got it_ ," Miriam snapped.

Amelia felt a little hurt by her tone, and Tristan sensed it.

He rubbed her back, giving an understanding smile. "I'll go talk to her. And don't take what she says to heart."

Amelia smiled back and nodded, although she hoped Tristan wouldn't crack down too hard on their daughter.

Tristan ran to catch up with his daughter, and found her slouching as she walked, a persistent frown on her face.

"Did mom make you follow me?" Her anger was once again evident in her tone of voice.

"No." He placed one hand on Miriam's shoulder. "Here, sit down."

When Miriam didn't obey, he practically had to force her to the ground by grabbing her arm. " _Sit_."

Miriam let out a long sigh, normally calm emerald green eyes hard with contempt. "Yes?"

"I don't appreciate your tone with your mother." His voice leaked with the same disdain she was giving him. "You can yell at me, disrespect me, I don't care. I've been through worse, I can take it. But you do not disrespect your mother, do you understand?"

"She disrespects _you_ ," replied Miriam. "I've seen it."

"She stands up for herself," clarified Tristan. "But that's besides the point. Your mother is so good and kind to you, and you just brushed her off. I get it, she might be a bit overbearing, you're welcome to think that. But she cares about you."

"I know she does. Doesn't make it any less annoying."

Tristan was getting irritated. "What's gotten into you? Not even Mackenzie's as bad as you."

"I'm sure she'd love to hear that."

"No, she knows she's a handful, but she still respects us. What's wrong with you?"

"A lot," snapped Miriam, getting up and walking away. "Thanks for asking."

Tristan had to wonder if all teenagers were like this. Even so, Mackenzie was her age and never disrespected her parents so blatantly. Did her illness play any part? If so, they had a problem.

...

Miriam watched as the tree stars slowly fell from the trees and into the pond below, creating ripples in the water which spread over her reflection. She hadn't gotten a good look at herself until she saw her reflection. She seemed to have a permanent scowl on her face, and her jaw was clenched. She looked more intimidating than she thought.

As she thought back to earlier in the morning, she recalled how she behaved towards her mother. She didn't want to be so cruel. She knew what she said was wrong and had hurt her mother, but she couldn't stop herself from saying them. In that moment, it felt like she wasn't herself.

So that was the problem. Miriam didn't feel like herself. She'd now identified the issue, but how was she going to go about fixing it? She called her mother annoying, speaking to her like she was some sort of nuisance. She'd never done that before. Never. And she'd put a damper on her relationship with her father as well. The way he spoke to her, it stung. It felt like a fiery mountain was blowing it's top inside of her. She couldn't blame him, though. He loved her mother so profoundly.

The more Miriam thought about it, the worse she felt. Where in the world had she gotten the idea that her mother disrespected her father? Was she simply making things up now?

A loud buzzing broke into her thoughts. She looked down to see a buzzer sitting on one of the tree stars that had fallen from the trees. Then, a swimmer emerged from the water, and the buzzer seized the opportunity to attack. It killed the swimmer instantly, and flew away with it's lunch. Miriam didn't think too much of it, for it was the circle of life. That was something her mother had taught her.

"Miriam?"

Miriam looked up to see her sister standing above her, looking somewhat concerned. She'd always looked up to Mackenzie, figuratively and literally. She didn't want to hurt her in the way she'd hurt her mother, so she kept silent.

"Hello?" Mackenzie sat down, and gently nudged her in the side.

"Don't touch me," Miriam snapped, moving a few inches away from her. "What do you want?" _Oh, boy. Here we go._

"What you'd say to mom? I was talking to her and she sounded like she was going to cry."

"Why do you think I have something to do with it?"

"I don't know, I asked dad and he told me what you said."

"And?"

"It's a bit...uncharacteristic of you. What's the matter?"

"Nothing."

"Don't you lie to me. You'd be stupid to think that you could try to lie to _me_ about this and not get caught."

"Now I'm stupid?"

"Well, you sure are acting like it. You're not acting like yourself, that's for sure."

Miriam's mouth curved into an unpleasant frown.

Mackenzie stood up, refusing to push her sister for answers.

"Okay, fine. If you want to sit here and act like a baby, that's your choice. I'm not going to waste my time, I have better things to do." She really didn't, but it was an effective tactic.

She looked at Miriam, hoping she'd cave, but had no such luck. There was no use in trying, so Mackenzie quietly walked away to where she knew Gabriel and Adam would be.

Mackenzie waded into the pond, covered by the shade of the circle of trees. The light of the bright circle shone through the leaves, making the water just warm enough to kick back and relax in. She swam to the slightly deeper end of the pond, resting her head on the grass.

"I don't know what's gotten into Miriam."

Adam, who had been resting on top of a rock, lifted his head. "What do you mean?"

"She's being so mean. It's...weird."

"Mean?" Gabriel raised a brow. "Miriam?"

"I know, it's not like her. But...she snapped at my mom, which really surprised me. Our mom's a bit much sometimes, but we've never snapped at her before. Not like Miriam did."

Gabriel and Adam exchanged glances. Gabriel lowered his neck slightly, frowning. He'd only known Mackenzie for a short while, but he knew that she truly was good at heart and hated to think that she was being mistreated. "Did she snap at you too?"

"Sort of," replied Mackenzie, looking up at him. "She didn't call me annoying, but she's still acting stupid."

Gabriel raised his neck, and used his claws to strip the tree above him of it's tree stars. The tree stars rained down on Mackenzie like sky water, and Gabriel lowered his neck.

"It's alright. I'm sure she'll come around eventually."

Mackenzie gave a half hearted smile, and munched on a tree star. "What's with all the tree stars?"

"I just thought they might make you feel better."

"Oh. Well, they do."

"Good," said Gabriel, pleased with himself.

...

Miriam trudged across the valley, her head hanging low. As she wandered aimlessly, she heard a familiar screech. She watched as Kyra swooped down, landing in front of her.

"Hello, Miriam. How's your first day out and about?"

"Hi, Kyra. It's okay."

Kyra begged to differ, but didn't press the issue. "Oh, that's good." She spread her wings, preparing to fly away. "Well, I'll see you later."

Miriam clenched her teeth. "Kyra, wait."

Kyra turned around. "Yes?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Oh? Well, let's go somewhere nice and shady and we can talk."

They went to the pond where Miriam had been when Mackenzie approached her. Miriam took a seat, as did Kyra.

"So. What seems to be the matter?"

"...I hurt my mom."

Kyra hoped the situation wasn't the way it sounded. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"She told me to be careful when I went out, and..."

"And what did you do?"

"I called her annoying, and my tone was really nasty. I didn't mean to...I don't know what came over me."

"Hm...well, how did you feel when you called her that? What were you feeling in that moment?"

"I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't stop the words from coming out. I just...I didn't feel like myself."

"Oh. Well, that's perfectly normal. For you, I mean."

"It is?"

Kyra nodded. "You're still recovering. You've hardly had any actual interaction, and your body is worn out from fighting off your illness. It's natural for you to be a bit snappish."

Her tone suddenly grew more serious and less light hearted. "But it's no excuse for your behavior. You might have a reason to act the way you are, but that doesn't make it okay. Being ill is no excuse to disrespect anyone, especially your parents."

She paused a moment. "...Also, you are growing. Mood swings are a part of that."

Miriam swallowed the heavy and bitter tasting lump in her throat. "What am I going to do...?"

"You'll have to talk to your parents, and be completely honest about how you feel."

"Will it get better? Or am I going to have to deal with this my whole life?"

"Yes. This will all go away in time. But you must mend things with your parents first, otherwise there'll be rifts in your relationship. You don't want that, do you?"

Miriam shook her head.

"That's what I thought," said Kyra, who smiled sweetly. "Good luck, dear."

She looked towards the sky and flew off. Miriam watched her fly away, and gave her words careful thought as she continued her stroll.

...

The bright circle had just set, allowing the first shadows of darkness to settle in. The sky was adorned in magnificent hues of pink and orange, and a little bit of purple as the night circle slowly peeked over the ridge. Amelia looked up at the sky, worry in her gentle sky blue eyes. She could hear footsteps approach from behind her, but refused to acknowledge whoever it may have been.

"Amelia."

She heard Tristan's voice behind her, and turned to face him. "She's not back yet..."

Tristan smiled sadly and nuzzled her, both of their faces illuminated in the pale moonlight.

"She's fine," he assured her. "Don't worry. Perhaps it's good that she has some time to herself. She needs to think about what she did."

"Tristan..." she sighed softly. "Don't be so harsh. She's young. She doesn't know better."

"She's never acted like this before," argued Tristan. "And besides, I have no patience for someone who makes you cry for no good reason."

"Aw..." Amelia pressed her snout against his. "You're such a softie."

"No, I'm not," Tristan murmured.

"Mom?"

The voice caught both Amelia and Tristan's attention. It was Miriam.

Amelia's eyes softened considerably. "Hi, sweetie. What kept you so long?"

Miriam let her eyes wander for a moment before she gave a shrug. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course you can. Come on." Amelia walked away, Miriam trailing close behind her. Tristan watched both of them leave, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

"So, honey," Amelia shifted her gaze to her daughter. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Miriam came to a halt. "About what happened this morning."

Amelia stopped a few inches ahead of her, and came shuffling back. She lowered her head, and flashed a smile. "Dear, you don't need to—"

"Mom, don't." Miriam sighed. "Yes, I do. It wasn't okay, what I did.

Amelia looked away briefly, and then returned her gaze to her daughter. "Then...why did you do it?"

"I don't know," Miriam replied flatly. "I talked to Kyra about it."

"And what did she say?"

"She said it's normal for me to be acting this way since I'm still recovering and I haven't been feeling like myself. But...I know now it doesn't excuse me being so rude to you. I didn't mean to, I just..."

"Oh, I know." Amelia nuzzled her. "I understand. And I'm glad you talked to me about this."

"So, do you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you, dear. I can never stay angry with you." Amelia breathed in, her eyes deep in thought. "But, there's more to it than that. You really did hurt me. I was just looking out for you."

"I know. I'm sorry, mom."

"It's alright." She gave a smile that reassured her daughter that it would be. "I'll try to come around, as long as you promise me you will too."

Miriam offered the most genuine smile she could muster. "I will."

Amelia chuckled, her chuckles turning into soft giggles as she nuzzled and adorned her daughter with kisses.

"Mom, stop it." Miriam laughed, pulling away, but her mother continued to fawn over her. "Mom, come on!"

Amelia nuzzled her one last time. "I'm sorry, dear. Would you like to head back home now?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright." She leaned in close. "And don't worry about explaining this to your father. I'll take care of him."

"You're the best, mom."

Amelia and Miriam still had a long way to go, but with the issues and misunderstandings between them identified, they were heading in the right direction.


	15. Chapter 15: Sky Water

**Hey everyone, here's a chapter focused on Molly. Probably the first one focusing on her, honestly. Enjoy!**

 _"Molly, you need to wake up."_

 _"What? I am awake, Michael— oh. This isn't real, is it?"_

Molly jolted awake, a wave of disappointment coming over her the moment she realized that her delightful sleep story was not reality. Even now, she still struggled to accept the fact that she would no longer awaken to Michael sleeping beside her. It just didn't feel right. Michael was her best friend, she simply couldn't recall a time when they weren't together. Now, he was gone, and she was expected to be okay with it and move on? No part of this was okay.

Molly was doing the best she could, she was doing all she could. She couldn't simply break down and give up. Her boys needed her. But Molly didn't know how she was going to do hers and Michael's job without Michael's help.

"Mom." Adam was now awake, and nudging his mother in the side. "Mom, can you get us some tree stars?"

Molly groaned, shielding her face away from him. "Not now..."

"Please?" He gave her shoulder a shake. "I'm hungry."

"Leave mom alone," scolded Gabriel, who had just entered, ushering him away.

"But I'm—"

"I know you're hungry. I'll get you something. The sky water from yesterday made everything really moist."

"Why can't mom get it?"

"Mom needs some time for herself."

"Still...?"

"Yes. Now come on." He pushed Adam forward towards the entrance of the cave.

As the two rainbow faces stepped out into the light, they passed Amelia, who just happened to be strolling by.

"Morning, boys. How's your mother holding up?"

Gabriel took one look at his mother, her body mostly shrouded in the darkness of the cave. "I think she's trying her best."

Adam stepped forward. "How long do you think she'll be like this?"

A sad frown lingered on Amelia's face. "That's hard to say, Adam. This kind of thing is different for everyone."

"Is there anything we can do...?"

"I'm afraid not. This is something your mother needs to get through on her own, and it can only get better with time. But you can help by reminding her that you'll always be there for her, like she's always been there for you." She looked towards the sky, and then directed her gaze forward before changing the tone of the conversation to something less grim.

"Well, I'm going to go down to the river for a drink. I'll see you boys later."

Gabriel and Adam waved goodbye, and went off to find themselves and their mother some breakfast.

"Here, mom." Adam set a mouthful of tree stars in front of Molly. "We got you something to eat."

Molly lifted her head. "Thank you, boys. But...I'm not hungry."

"You haven't been hungry since we got here," growled Gabriel, his voice carrying more anger than he meant it to.

"You need to eat something, mom." His voice was noticeably softer.

"I will," Molly said dismissively. "Just go off with your friends. Don't worry about me."

Gabriel frowned. How could she just tell him not to worry when she hardly talked, slept, or ate? How was she going to take care of them when she wasn't even taking care of herself?

"Mom, please—"

"Gabriel." Her voice was calm, but firm. "I'll be fine. Just go."

Gabriel worried for his mother, and he only wished she could see it. Adam was worried too, and fearful of what would happen if this carried on for too long. But Molly was persistent. She continued to reject their help, eventually resulting in them heeding her commands and running off to go and play somewhere.

Molly stared at the blank wall, her amber eyes glistening as they budded with freshly brimmed tears. She knew her sons meant well, and she knew that she needed to be at full health if she was going to take care of them. But right now, it felt like nothing mattered. She felt utterly hopeless. A tear rolled down her cheek as she closed her eyes, dozing off in a matter of seconds.

... "Why did we have to get so much sky water?" Molly planted her feet firmly on the ground, one in front of the other as she walked across the moist dirt that had once been as dry as her mouth was at the moment.

"What's wrong with a little sky water?" Michael laughed, and stomped around in the squishy mud that had once been dry land. "I like how it makes everything all squishy. It also makes things grow, which is good."

"I guess," Molly said in a tone of indifference. "But it's still annoying. This morning I was trying to get out of the nest, and I practically fell down the hill because it was so slippery."

A wave of pain coursed throughout her body from the impact of her fall earlier. "Everything hurts..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, baby." Michael's sage green eyes softened in sympathy. "Where does it hurt most?"

"My side." Molly gestured to the area with her tail.

"Not to worry," chimed Michael, who nuzzled and licked the affected area.

Molly couldn't repress a smile. Michael was obnoxious and sometimes unfathomably stupid, but he was quite the charmer. He made Molly feel special, like she was the only rainbow face in the world, as he only showed such intimacy with her.

"Do you feel better?"

A light chuckle escaped Molly. "A little bit."

With nothing more to say, they continued walking until they reached a clearing once filled with trees. The sky water had caused major flooding, resulting in pools of water that went all the way to the top of the trees. Michael peered into the water, attempting to determine how deep it was. Molly, on the other hand, jumped right in.

"Molly! What are you doing? Get back over here."

"There's no way around it," she explained, not heeding his pleas as she continued to move forward. "Come on. It's not that much of a swim."

Michael was usually the type to jump at an opportunity to do something so risky for the sheer joy of it, but not when it included Molly. He was foolish, but not foolish enough to endanger the life of someone he cared about so deeply. "Molly," he pleaded, "just come back. Come on, we'll go around."

" _You_ can go around," she rebuffed, the water now at her waist. "I don't know why you're so scared. It's just water."

Michael didn't want Molly to be left defenseless, or to hurt herself, so he hopped in and followed her. "I know it's just water," he said. "But it's what's in the water that worries me."

Molly scowled at him. "When did you get so soft?"

In response, Michael frowned. "I'm not soft. I just don't want you getting hurt, that's all. And what's wrong with being soft?"

Molly snorted, not bothering to hide her skepticism. "Yeah. Alright."

The water was now up to their necks, but with Michael being vastly taller than Molly, he was able to maneuver himself through the water easier. Molly, however, had to keep her head raised to avoid the intake of water.

"Not so easy now, is it?" Michael knew it was an inappropriate time to make a snarky comment, but he wouldn't dare to miss such an opportunity.

Molly couldn't quite talk, and expressed her contempt by rolling her eyes. Despite their lighthearted moment, things were taking a turn for the worse. Molly was beginning to tire, unable to keep her head above water for another minute longer. She started to sink, but Michael kept her floating by having her rest her head on the crook of his neck.

"Keep your head above water, baby," he commanded gently.

"I'm _trying_ ," she croaked.

They soon reached the deeper water, where Molly definitely wouldn't be able to keep floating. Michael swam forward, eyes glowing with determination. Just past the deep end was a ledge which they could climb onto. _Just a little while longer._

As the water became dark, Molly could feel a powerful burning sensation raging inside of her. She couldn't talk, nor could she move her arms. Her breaths were painful and agonizingly short. Then, she relaxed and felt oddly calm for a moment — before everything turned black.

Michael held his breath, refusing to give in to the urge to breathe. As he maneuvered through the water, he hit something hard. _The ledge_!

He grabbed onto Molly's tail with his, pulling the both of them up onto dry land, a belly dragger barely missing them by an inch.

Michael pat her face, searching for signs of life and desperately hoping that she wasn't dead. He'd always thought of himself as a guardian, and he couldn't even protect the one he loved. Pathetic.

"Molly! Wake up, Molly! You have to wake up!"

His voice faded and slowly became more warbled, and somehow transformed to resemble her son's voice.

 _"Mom? Mom, wake up."_

Molly winced, her eyes suddenly snapping open to see Gabriel standing over her. She blinked, and sat up. "Yes, son?"

"We brought more food."

"You did?" Molly stretched out her neck slightly. "Oh...what time is it?"

"It's almost time for the bright circle to set," said Gabriel. "But you can't really tell because of the sky water."

"Sky water?"

"Yeah. It wasn't that unexpected, since we had some yesterday."

Molly stood up and walked towards the entrance of the cave. The sky was covered in dark grey clouds, shrouding the land in a gloomy and colorless shadow as sky water poured. Molly recalled her and Michael's misadventure with the sky water. That incident had significantly strengthened their relationship, since Michael had come so close to losing her, they'd learned to take much less for granted; least of all each other.

She'd never liked sky water, but as she gazed at the drops of rain pouring from the sky, she was reminded of Michael. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but she felt that it was a sign. For the first time since her loss, she permit herself a smile.

"I quite like the sky water, don't you?"

Gabriel gave a shrug. "Well, it makes things grow..."

Molly chortled. Gabriel had a lot of his father in him. "Your father loved sky water."

"Really? Why would he? It's wet...and gross."

"I thought that too, at first."

"What made you change your mind?"

"Your father."

"How?"

A laugh escaped Molly. "I'll answer all your questions. Come with me."

Gabriel followed his mother, and listened as she recited the tale of her, Michael, and the sky water.


	16. Chapter 16: I Will Be With You

**Hey, everyone. I hope you guys had a nice holiday! I've been busy, so I sort of slacked off on updating. But I'm back. Here's another rainbow face chapter. I hope you guys enjoy and just in case I don't get a chance to say it, happy new year!**

Molly felt more refreshed and rejuvenated than she had in a long time. Her exhausted amber brown eyes retained a radiant glare as she directed her gaze towards the bright circle, although not looking directly at it. Then, she dipped her head into the watering hole, allowing the cool water to pour into her mouth.

"Molly?" A masculine, but airy and tender voice made Molly pull her head out of the water. Standing before her was a rainbow face with all the same features and attributes as her, with the exception being his lighter brown eyes. But he was a dinosaur of consequence. His eyes were sullen and cold, and he seemed to slouch, almost as if he were sulking while standing.

Molly's eyes widened with the slightest hint of a smile. "Andy?" she darted across the water, moist weeds tangling themselves around her foot as she darted to her brother's side.

"Andy!" She threw her arms around him, hardly able to believe her own eyes.

Andy returned the affectionate gesture, a small smile making it's way onto his face as he buried his snout in the crook of her neck. "I've missed you. I'm glad you're okay."

Molly pulled away, her features more calm. "I'm so glad you made it here. Where's Diana?"

Andy's smile vanished, and all traces of happiness left his face. He looked down and shook his head.

Molly knew what it meant. "Oh no…I'm so very sorry, darling…"

Andy mustered a small but grateful smile as he nodded his head. "I still have Sophie," he said, motioning to the tiny rainbow face napping peacefully on his back as he chuckled in amusement.

"She sleeps a lot. But...did Michael make it? And Amelia and Tristan?"

"Amelia and Tristan are fine," explained Molly. "I don't know about Michael. Everyone tells me he's dead and I should move on, but...Andy, he's survived worse things than an avalanche. He would never give up on me and the boys."

Andy lowered his head slightly. "Molly..."

"I know, I know." She sighed. "At this point, I don't think he's coming back. But at least, I still have Gabriel and Adam."

The two shared a moment of silence until Sophie stirred. She let out a yawn, and their attention went on her.

"Good morning Sophie," Andy cooed, giving his daughter a greeting nuzzle. "Sleep well?"

Sophie babbled some nonsense, something expected of a dinosaur as young as her.

Molly lowered her neck, crouching down to the little dinosaur's level. "Hello sweetie. Remember me?"

Sophie giggled happily. Apparently, she did recall the older rainbow face.

Molly shifted her attention to her brother. "Andy, what about the others? Are they alright?"

"Oh," mumbled Andy. "I started off with them."

"What happened?"

"We came to a large river," said Andy. "Not everyone could swim, so I just swam ahead.

"And then?"

"I told them if they could swim, then to swim. But if they couldn't, they'd just have to make the best of it."

"Andy!" Molly scolded. "You just left them there?"

"Yes," replied Andy indignantly. "It's just me and Sophie now, nobody else. I did what I had to do."

"Diana would be so angry with you."

"Diana's dead." Andy turned to snack on a bundle of tall grass. "And she would have understood."

Molly could see there was no use in trying to reason with her grieving brother. Andy was stubborn, annoyingly so. Diana helped improve his attitude, but now that she was gone, Andy was reverting back to his old habits. Defeated, Molly led him to her home.

Andy scanned the valley, eyeing his surroundings curiously. "I really wish there weren't so many other dinosaurs here."

"That kind of close minded thinking will get you nowhere," said Molly, watching him from the corner of her eye. "And perhaps you wouldn't feel so uneasy if you hadn't left the others behind."

Andy narrowed his eyes. "Maybe so. But it's always me and my family first. It was that way when Diana was alive, and it's going to stay that way."

"Defending yourself and your family doesn't equate to being totally selfish." Molly frowned, and pushed past him as she rushed into the cave. Andy reciprocated her frown, and followed her inside.

He held Sophie in his mouth by the flap of skin on her back as he sat down, transferring her to his arms. "Where are Gabriel and Adam?"

"They're out with their friends," answered Molly, sitting down. She did not bother to look at the other rainbow face as she made a full turn, munching on some leaves sprouting from the dirt. "Now please don't speak to me. You'll give me a headache."

Andy's glare intensified as he let out a scoff, resting his head on his arm. Tired from his long journey, he closed his eyes and much like his daughter, partook in the activity of taking a nap.

...

He approached rather calmly and quietly, despite the ordeal he'd just went through. As Andy peeked over a log, he spotted Aurora and her litter of four lying in the light. The mother was telling the young rainbow faces a story. Aurora had a calm and understanding air about her, with tranquil blue eyes that were usually downcast. She had light patches on various parts of her skin; on her forehead and on her belly, and even on her tail. She was relatively quiet, but steadfast and smart. She knew when to open her mouth, and when to keep it shut. However, when it came to lore and telling stories, the female rainbow face could run her mouth for days on end.

"And so in the end," said Aurora, "the rainbow face was right. He and his family managed to escape the disaster, but the other dinosaurs who did not bother to listen were not able to live through the darkness that took over their land."

One of her hatchlings, a rambunctious young girl, spoke up. "So is the story saying that rainbow faces know more?"

"That's stupid," said her brother.

" _You're_ stupid," she rebuffed.

They lunged for each other, engaging a fierce but playful fight.

Aurora shook her head in unfazed dismay.

"Kids," scolded their father. "Behave yourselves."

"Now Bruno," reasoned Aurora, walking up and nuzzling her mate. "They're just kids."

"Still," protested Bruno, who could hardly resist his wife's affections. "Uh..." He scoffed. "I suppose." His voice was croaky, yet firm.

Andy stepped forward, Sophie hitching a ride on his back. "What are you all doing sitting here? Shouldn't we get going?"

"Right," said Bruno. "And where would we go, exactly?"

"The Great Valley," Andy replied in a dull tone. "That's where Sophie and I are going."

Bruno raised a brow. "Why would I take my wife and kids to a place we aren't even sure exists?"

"Do you have any better ideas, _Bruno_?"

Bruno narrowed his eyes, scowling at the other rainbow face.

"Calm down," intervened Aurora. "Both of you."

"Yes," agreed a deep and throaty voice from behind them. "You aren't the only one who's lost someone, Andy."

The voice belonged to Hazel, a captain of the guard. Much like Bruno, he was a strongly built dinosaur with sturdy legs. His dark grey eyes were harsh, but wise. They had endless stories to tell. His body was covered in claw marks; some old, and some fresh. He'd seen much in his lifetime, being the oldest rainbow face there.

"Hazel!" Bruno's eyes widened a slight amount as he rushed to Hazel's aid, helping him to the ground before his knees gave way. "What happened? Was it the fast biters?"

Hazel's breath was labored and ragged. "Yes...they tried to get Holly, and I couldn't let that happen. I tried to fight them off, but there were too many..." He drew in a shuddering breath, resting his head on his arm.

Aurora's eyes shone with worry. Holly had been one of her best friends. "Is Holly...?"

"She's gone," managed Hazel, unable to repress his anguish. "By the time I got there to help her, it was too late." He looked up at Aurora. "I'm sorry. I know...she was your friend."

Bruno returned to the topic at hand. "How did you get away?"

"Brute force," Hazel explained with two simple words. "I ran away, and hoped I'd find you...and I did. For the first time, I'd say that fleeing like a coward was the smart thing to do."

Andy lowered his head. "Well, what should we do now?"

"It doesn't matter to me," stated Hazel. "I have a lingering feeling that my life will end sometime soon...but at least, I'll get to see Holly again."

"Don't speak like that," said Aurora, who was always so kind, and always meant well.

"It's fine, dear." Hazel smiled weakly, lines of age and worry etched onto his face. "I'm alright with it, really. I've lived a long and productive life...I'll be at peace."

Aurora gave him the smallest of smiles, along with a nod of her head.

" _Bruno_!"

Bruno raised a brow, startled by the warbled voice addressing him.

His son crouched down. "Who is it, dad?"

"Quiet, son. I'm trying to listen." He looked up, eyes and ears peeled.

"Bruno!"

Bruno lowered his brows in confusion. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on who it belonged to. "Who's there?"

Another rainbow face tumbled out of a bush, quickly getting back on his feet. He was surrounded by an aura of desperation and fear, his slender limbs twitching occasionally. He stood with his nose pointed towards the air, always alert. His eyes were a mix of blue and grey, somewhat resembling sky water.

Once again, Bruno had that shocked expression on his face. "Harri!"

"Bruno!" He stood up straight. "The others...!"

"What about them? Is there anyone left?"

Harri shook his head. "More fast biters showed up. The air turned bad...caves filled with dead bodies...I almost couldn't get out!"

Bruno nodded, indicating that he understood how gruesome the attack was.

Hazel rose slowly, lowering his head to meet Harri's panicked gaze. "Well, we're very glad to have you. You always were one of the more creative and innovative members of the herd."

Harri beamed. To hear that from Hazel, someone so respected in the herd, it was the greatest compliment someone could have paid him. "T-Thank you, Hazel."

Hazel gave a polite smile and a nod of his head. Then, he silently addressed everyone with a brief glance. "I don't know where the others are. But wherever they are, we can't be bothered to try and find them."

The others nodded in agreement.

"Forget about finding some place safe, or finding some place like the Great Valley. As pleasant as it sounds, we will not actively pursue it. We will go wherever the wind takes us."

While Andy's plan was originally to go to the Great Valley, he did not wish to part from the group. After all, there was safety in numbers.

The small group had only been journeying for a day when Hazel suddenly keeled over. It wasn't exactly sudden; he'd been getting progressively more ill and had started to fall behind.

Aurora lowered her head, watching his movements. His chest slowly rose and fell, his entire body going limp moments after. Aurora looked up, her eyes meeting Bruno's as she gave a sad shake of her head.

Bruno went over to her, allowing himself to show some emotion other than indifference. His stoic demeanor diminished, and he gave her snout a brief and gentle prod with his. "Come on. We need to keep moving."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault you have such a big heart."

Aurora flashed a smile, and followed her husband to catch up with the others.

They walked without resting, wanting to get as far as they possibly could. By nightfall, the group reached the woods, shrouded in darkness.

Harri scanned the tall trees, his limbs twitching again. "B-Bruno?"

Bruno lowered his brows, and then looked at Harri. "Yes?"

"I think we should stop here. The children, they need to rest."

"He's right, Bruno," agreed Andy.

"No." Bruno breathed in, and out. "Once we're clear of the woods...we'll be clear of any fast biters that may have been left back there. We can rest then."

"Mommy?" Aurora's daughter hid behind her leg. "I'm scared."

"I know, dear." Aurora lifted her up by the flap of her neck, and set her down on her back, doing the same with her three other children.

Bruno took one step forward, and sniffed the air. Then, he turned towards the others. "Follow me."

The remaining members of the group skittered after him, scared to be left behind.

Aurora looked up, taking in every detail. The dark branches of the trees stretching out into the sky resembled the claws of sharpteeth. Dew fell onto the leaves, creating small drops of moisture. She felt something slimy slither over her foot; it reminded her of walking in mud. When she looked down, she saw a belly slider slithering across her feet. It lifted it's head, and let out a hiss.

Bruno recognized the sound instantly. He'd seen more belly sliders than he would have liked to see. He hated them. They attacked with little warning, and most dinosaurs never saw them until it was too late – after the creature poisoned it's prey.

He could tell by the hood surrounding it's neck that this one was poisonous, and that if it got the chance to sink it's fangs into Aurora's skin, that would be the end of it…the end of everything.

"Aurora, no!" Bruno ran over faster than he knew he was capable of running, and practically stomped the life out of the belly slider until it slithered away. He looked to his wife, whose eyes were wide with fear.

"Are you alright?"

Aurora took a moment to calm down and nod her head. "Yes...I think I am."

"Good." He drew in a sigh, and closed his eyes. He had panicked a bit, admittedly. "Stay in the front with me where I can see you." He began walking off, when he paused. "That's an order."

Aurora nodded her head and took her place in the front beside him. She knew Bruno meant well, but he was rather intimidating at times. Still, she knew that he truly did care for her, and for that, she was grateful.

Once they were out of the woods, they came to a long and winding river. There was no way around it, nor was there was any way over it.

Harri looked at Bruno. "What now?"

"We'll have to cross it," Andy interfered.

"Cross it?" Repeated Harri. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," said Andy.

"But I don't think I can swim," Aurora pointed out. "I'm worn out, and the children are even worse off than me."

Bruno nodded because she was right.

"We could use that tree over there," suggested Harri, pointing to a log floating in the water. "Bruno, look. It floats."

Andy, however, wasn't having it. He climbed into the river before addressing everyone.

"Those who can swim, swim."

Bruno frowned, not bothering to hide his anger. "And those who can't?"

"They'll just have to make the best of it."

"That's not good enough," growled Bruno. "My wife and children can't swim, and I refuse to leave them behind."

"Fine," Andy spat. "Do what you want. But my daughter and I are going to move on."

Sophie tilted her head, cooing as innocently as a hatchling could.

Bruno didn't stop him. There was nothing he could say that would change the rainbow face's mind. "If Diana could see you right now, she would be so ashamed of you."

"Don't you dare say her name. Don't _ever_ say her name." Andy's voice was laced with contempt.

"...It's been nice traveling with all of you, but we...we can't travel together anymore. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"You too," Bruno said through gritted teeth.

When Andy turned around again, the landscape was covered with blood. The trees burned to a crisp, and the earth split open from under their feet. Andy was forced to watch as what had been of their group fell in through the cracks in the ground. Aurora, her children, even Bruno and Harry. They all fell to their deaths. Andy tried to run away, but eventually, he met his doom as well.

...

Andy nearly screamed as he awoke with a jolt, panting.

"Andy?" Molly sat up, concern in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," panted Andy. "Just a bad sleep story. I'm fine." He proceeded to rest his head on his arms when he noticed, Sophie wasn't there. "Sophie? Molly, have you seen Sophie?"

"No...I was asleep."

Andy went into a panic. He quickly stood up, searching the cave for his daughter. "Sophie? Are you here? Sophie!"

...

Sophie had, like children were prone to do, wandered off. At some point during her nap, her curious eye was laid upon a buzzer, which she instinctively followed. After all, it was only natural for her to want to learn more about the environment that surrounded her. She followed the buzzer all the way across the valley, to the tall grass.

Now, she was looking up at a large rock. To someone as small as her, this rock looked like a mountain. But it was nothing Sophie couldn't handle, or so the hatchling thought. She jumped up, and very nearly made it, until she cut her knee on a sharp edge of the rock. She landed abruptly on the ground, whimpering. She let out a high pitched cry, a natural reflex for when she was in distress. Her father usually identified this cry, and helped her accordingly. However, her father was nowhere to be found, so Sophie would continue to cry until she found him.

Some time passed, and Sophie began to feel cold. She looked across the pond, where she spotted a dinosaur that looked like her father. A smile tugged at the corners of her tiny mouth as she waddled over to the pond, her feet creating the tiniest splashes.

The rainbow face, who had actually been Mackenzie, paused in the middle of her drink. Sophie was trying to grab her attention, probably thinking that this was her father. Mackenzie lowered her head, staring into the hatchling's eyes.

Sophie babbled, pressing her tiny snout against Mackenzie's. But when she looked into the dinosaur's jade green eyes, Sophie realized that this was not her father.

Mackenzie saw her disappointment, and nuzzled Sophie to show that she meant no harm. Sophie giggled, and soon warmed up to the other. Mackenzie chuckled, absolutely smitten with the sheer innocence of the tiny dinosaur. "I'm Mackenzie," she said, introducing herself.

The hatchling repeated her name, clearly feeling very proud of herself.

Mackenzie's eyes then drifted to the cut on Sophie's knee, and her smile was washed away. "What happened here?"

Sophie did not understand, and tilted her head.

Mackenzie wasn't sure what else she expected. "Stay here. I'll be right back." She began to walk off, and Sophie followed. "What did I _just_ say?"

Sophie gave her a blank stare.

Mackenzie shook her head, and lifted Sophie by the flap of her neck, allowing her to hitch a ride on her back. Mackenzie wandered over to the trees, and grabbed a handful of leaves. These leaves were long and thick, perfect for covering up wounds. She dipped the leaves in water, and set Sophie down on the floor. Then, Mackenzie used the leaves to apply pressure to the cut. When she removed it, the cut was beginning to scab over.

"There we go, as good as new. Now...where are your parents?"

...

"Molly, where is she?"

"Shouldn't you know?"

Andy frowned. "You're not helping."

"You should've kept an eye on her then."

Andy sighed, knowing his sister was right. "I'm going to go look for her."

"Good luck."

Andy ran outside, the grass crunching beneath his feet. As he stared into the distance, he saw that the valley was covered in a mysterious but peaceful cloud of mist.

 _"Andy."_

 _Andy's eyes widened. That voice. The voice that always comforted him on his darkest days, and showed him that there was hope yet. Diana was an ocean of light. Everyone flocked to her. So, how could a light that burned so brightly suddenly burn so pale?_

 _"Diana...?"_

 _"You were supposed to take care of her."_

 _"I have been. Darling, I have been!" He dropped to his knees, breaking down into heaving sobs. As he cried, the mist thinned, twirling and spiraling around Andy._

 _"Oh, Andy...I'll always be with you. But you've forgotten me."_

 _"I haven't! How could I?"_

 _"You've forgotten what I taught you."_

 _"I didn't mean to. I-It's just so hard..."_

 _"I know. But Sophie needs you now. You need to be her father and mother."_

Andy suddenly snapped back to reality. He didn't know if the conversation with his deceased wife was real, or whether it was a figment of his imagination. But, he did know one thing for certain. He hadn't been living his life the way Diana would have wanted him to live it. He had been selfish.

The mist lifted to reveal a warm colored sky with strips of pink and orange; the bright circle was beginning to set. Andy ran down the hill, the land shrouded in cool clouds of air. As he ran down the hill, his tail blew the seeds off of a plant, causing them to disperse into the air. He didn't know where he was running to, he was following the mist, and letting his heart guide him.

When he saw Sophie happily rolling around in the tall grass, Andy felt a huge weight being lifted off of his shoulders. Sophie immediately recognized her father, and waddled over to the only source of protection she'd ever known.

"Sophie!" Andy darted across the grass, stopping a few inches away from his daughter. He lowered his neck to embrace her, showering her in kisses like this was the first time he was seeing her. "Oh, Sophie. My darling baby girl..."

Sophie giggled, allowing her father to scoop her up in his hands.

Andy began to shed tears of joy. Perhaps he was overreacting, but he genuinely feared that he'd lost her. She was so little, anything could have happened. But she was alright… and that was all that mattered. Except, she wasn't. He noticed the cut on her knee, and felt his heart sink.

As if Mackenzie were reading his mind, she stepped up. "I found her with a cut on her knee, so I tried to stop the bleeding as much as I could. She's alright now though."

Andy breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the adolescent rainbow face. "Thank you so much." As he read her face, he recognized her features. She had Amelia's eye shape, and Tristan's skin color.

"Say...you're Amelia and Tristan's girl, aren't you?"

Mackenzie seemed surprised, but smiled and nodded nonetheless.

"They should be proud to have raised such a responsible young girl." He gave Mackenzie's head a gentle pat. "I'll see you around. Take care."

"You too," said Mackenzie, waving as she watched him leave with Sophie. "Bye!"

...

Later that night when Andy went to sleep, it wasn't like all those other nights. Tonight, he felt at peace with himself. As he closed his eyes, he could have sworn he heard Diana's voice.

 _"I will always be with you."_

And he knew, that she would be.


	17. Chapter 17: In a Sky Full of Stars

**Hello, everybody, and happy New Years! I'm back with another chapter. This one actually focuses a bit on Sierra's background, and can give a little insight as to why he is the way he is, which will be important in the future. Also, yes, I did use a Coldplay song for the title. Enjoy!**

To Kyra, there was nothing more beautiful than a clear night. The water shimmered, and stars twirled across the sky. It was on nights like these that she really longed for her old home, for things to be as they once were. But she knew by now that what is, is what must be. A wise flyer taught her so. As she stared at the sky, she could have sworn that she saw a flyer. In her eyes, it looked like…Pterano.

Suddenly, she remembered. She remembered what that wise flyer said after a turbulent series of events which changed so many lives.

 _"In a sky full of stars..."_

... The pale beige flyer slowly swooped down into the shimmering pond, followed by two smaller and light brown flyers. Around the beige flyer's bruised neck was a tiny flyer who was the spitting image of her.

"Come on darling," she coaxed, gently guiding the flyer away from her neck and to the palm of her hand. "That's my good girl." She lovingly nuzzled the tiny dinosaur with her snout before looking to the two other flyers, holding out her hand. "Take good care of your sister, children."

One of the flyers, a young girl, nodded her head as she allowed the tiny flyer to cling to her neck. She then looked to her brother. "Come on." The two flyers darted off into the shallow end, splashing around playfully in the water.

The large female flyer directed a radiant smile towards her children as she watched them play happily before shifting her gaze over to her reflection in the pond. Her smile vanished as she peered at the image of all the scars and bruises on her body. She sighed sadly, knowing that even if they did fade away eventually, there would always be more to take their place.

Moments later, another flyer swooped down. He was a faded cerulean blue with huge and brisk blue eyes. He was much larger in comparison to the beige flyer, who was delightfully surprised to see him.

"Quincy!" Her round and dark golden eyes gleamed with a childlike joy, despite her calm demeanor. She embraced him, allowing him to pick her up and briefly twirl her petite body in a circle.

"I thought I might find you here," said Quincy, smiling. "I'm glad you were able to get away."

As Quincy gazed at her, he caught sight of the bruises on her neck. She already had many scars and bruises, but these were fresh. Evidently, getting away had not proven to be an effortless experience.

"Haniel," he said, worried as he examined the bruised area. "Did he hit you again...?"

Haniel looked up at him, communicating her answer through her saddened hazel eyes.

Quincy frowned. He was angry, but not at her. His frustration mostly stemmed from how helpless he was, how he was unable to do anything to help her.

Gently, he pressed his snout against Haniel's. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could do something." He briefly pulled away, his eyes dampened and sorrowful. "But I promise you, one day you and your children will be free. I'll make sure of it."

Haniel's eyes were sad, but her smile was grateful. She embraced him once more, finding comfort in his loving arms.

Nearby, her son, Sierra, watched as the two flyers shared a moment of intimacy. He was with his friends, who seemed equally interested.

"Sierra," began Tress, "isn't that your mother?"

"Yeah," the light brown flyer replied flatly.

"And that's definitely _not_ your father," Randy added with a giggle. "He is pretty handsome, though."

Tress glanced over at Sierra, raising a brow. "And you're okay with them being this...close?"

Sierra shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, Quincy's cool. He's part of the guard and he makes my mom happy. Not to mention he lets us kids stay at his place when my pa's being the deadbeat dad that he's always been."

Tress nodded, directing her gaze back to the pond.

Kyra spoke next. "Who can blame her, really? At least she knows that she deserves better. Poor woman."

"I wish the herd would do something," said Danielle. "I don't know how much more of this she can take."

Sierra slouched a little. "My ma's a strong woman." He paused, shifting his gaze over to Danielle. "But you're right. Things are startin' to get outta hand."

Suddenly, a screech sounded through the air. Rinkus and Alex swooped down and joined their friends in the tree, accompanied by Pterano.

"What are we all looking at?" Rinkus inquired curiously.

"Good day, Mrs. Haniel!" Pterano called out.

Sierra groaned, and covered his face with his hands.

Haniel and Quincy turned to see the younger flyers watching them from above. They exchanged amused glances and smiles, chuckling softly.

...

The next morning, Kyra was awoken by the unmistakable sound of an argument slowly becoming more heated.

"Samuel, please. It's too early for this."

"It wasn't too early when you went to go spend time with Quincy!"

"Oh." Haniel lowered her eyebrows. "So, _now_ you suddenly care about being faithful?"

"We're married," spat Samuel. "If you can't remain loyal, then our entire relationship and our children mean nothing!"

"You just want to have control," argued Haniel, refusing to let him speak when he tried to counter argue. "No, no, listen to me. Our marriage meant something to me once. Then, you started abusing and threatening me and our children. It lost all meaning then. We may be married, but in my eyes, you were never a husband or a father."

Samuel, who was the spitting image of his oldest son, looked remarkably similar to Sierra when angry. "What am I to you then?"

"A deadbeat," she answered plainly. "You're just a flyer that I live with. Nothing else."

Samuel was stunned into silence. All this time, his wife seemed so soft spoken and weak, and usually took his beatings without a single protest.

Sierra and his siblings were awoken by the arguing, and huddled up against the wall as they watched their parents berate each other.

"...I can no longer sit here while my children suffer at your hands. Please, let go of your contempt before it destroys your life as you know it! Please!"

Samuel's yellow eyes were as hard and cruel as the dry seasons. "...You and our children have been nothing but trouble."

"Samuel!" Haniel stood protectively in front of her children, horrified by her husband's words.

"...And I think it's time that I taught you all a lesson."

" _Samuel_!" Haniel was desperate. She wished she'd never opened her mouth.

Samuel forcefully clamped his hand around her wrist, eyes blazing with anger. Haniel turned to her children, who hid behind their oldest brother, their huge eyes wide with fear. "Sierra," she quickly breathed out. "Take your brother and sisters and go. Just get out of here. Go. Now!"

Sierra grabbed his brother and sister's hand, and took off. He looked back, eyes filled with not only anger, but fear.

"Sierra!"

"Danielle!"

Danielle flew up to him, azure eyes wide with worry. "What's wrong?"

"I need to get Quincy," Sierra explained frantically. "Take the kids, will ya?"

"Of course." She allowed them to hold her hands.

"Don't go near my place," warned Sierra, aware that his father could possibly kill someone in his state. With that established, he took to the sky once more.

By now, more flyers were beginning to awaken due to the commotion. Kyra had been watching the situation unfold from the safety from her home but decided not to interfere. However, when Samuel began striking his wife with his talons, Kyra could hardly stand to see it.

"Randy!" She gave his shoulder a rough shake, anxious and worried.

Randy groggily opened one eye. "Hm...what?" The sound of crying snapped him out of his bleary state. He became stone faced. "Oh, jeez."

"Stop it!" Kyra yelled, as if it would make a difference. She turned to Randy. "Somebody's got to stop this!"

The two flyers then looked up to see Danielle flying towards them. She pulled herself and Sierra's siblings into a gentle landing.

Kyra felt a wave of relief when she saw that the children were safe from their father's wrath.

"Stay here," Danielle commanded gently. "You'll be safe here." She then turned to her friend. "Kyra, what's going on?"

"Sierra's mom and dad are fighting," explained Kyra.

"Well," objected Randy. "Not really. It's more so his dad's attacking his mom and she's not fighting back..."

Danielle's hands flew over her mouth. "Oh, no. This is bad."

"Kids?" Kyra and Randy's father, Leo, came to inspect the noise. He was followed by his wife, Leia. "Why are you all being so loud? What's the matter?"

Randy looked forward, and then at his mother and father. "Sierra's parents."

Leia walked over. "What about them?" When she caught a glimpse of the situation from across her home, she knew. "Oh. Oh, no."

"What?" Leo made his way over, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What's happening?" He also quickly realized the reason for their concerned faces.

Sierra flew as fast as he could, his wings shearing through the sky. He swooped into Quincy's home, nudging him in the side when he landed. "Hey Quincy, get up!"

Quincy's brow twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. "What?" He looked up grouchily. He was surprised to see the brown flyer. "Sierra? What are you doing here?"

"It's my ma," he replied. "My dad's attacking her. You gotta help. Everyone else is too afraid to do anything."

"What?" This made Quincy alert almost instantly. Without a sign of hesitation, he flew off towards Sierra's home. Part of him hoped this was just some sick joke. But when he arrived, he found Haniel covered in deep red gashes, struggling to fight back. She was crying, burying her face in her blood-mottled hands.

Just as Samuel was about to strike Haniel again, Quincy acted upon pure reflex, adrenaline taking over when he saw that the flyer he cared about most was about to get hurt. He grabbed both of the male flyer's hands, holding them behind his back. Then, he practically threw his body against the cave wall. Quincy spoke in a low voice, refusing to release the other.

"I've had enough of you, do you hear me? I've just stood here and done nothing for a long time, but not anymore. I'm going to make sure Aaron hears about this."

"You talk good," replied Samuel, his voice muffled. "But that's all it is. Talk."

Quincy narrowed his eyes, forcefully slamming Samuel's body into the wall, effectively stunning him enough that he was too weak to fight. When Quincy saw Haniel, his anger vanished and was replaced by pain. He turned to Sierra, who had been standing behind him.

"Get a healer. Quickly!"

Sierra sped over to Kyra's place, where he made a rough and unsteady landing. "Mrs. Leia," he gasped, out of breath from all the flying, "my mom needs ya. She needs your help."

"Take me to her," said Leia, following Sierra as he took off another time.

When they arrived at the scene, Leia looked to Samuel, who was still being restrained by Quincy. "Samuel." Her voice was gentle, but highly condescending. "You shame yourself." She turned away from him, crouching down by his wife.

"Leia," rasped Haniel. "I—"

"Shh." Leia rubbed her shoulders. "Don't talk. Come on." She gently lifted the wounded flyer up, with Quincy rushing to provide assistance. None of them, except Sierra, turned to look at Samuel as they steadily flew away. Even then, it was nothing but a disdainful glare.

While Haniel was brought back to Leia's home to be treated, Quincy flew off to find the captain of the guard.

Jonathan, also known as the captain of the guard, was one of the largest flyers in the herd. He was a pale lavender, covered in numerous bite and claw marks from past battles. His stormy blue eyes were keen and understanding. As usual, Quincy found him drinking from the lake near the waterfall.

"Quincy," exclaimed Jonathan, pleasantly surprised. "You're a bit early for your shift." He peered into his friend's eyes. They told him that he was not here for a matter concerning his shift. "...What happened?"

"Samuel attacked his wife," explained Quincy. "You know, Haniel. Her injuries are more serious this time, though."

He looked down, peering at his reflection in the ripples of the water. "We need to do something. She's suffering. Her _children_ are suffering. We need to tell Aaron."

Jonathan was well aware of the intimate relationship that Quincy and Haniel had, and he quite liked the woman. But he knew his leader. Aaron was not the type to interfere in family issues, and usually tended to turn the other cheek. And while Jonathan disapproved, there was nothing he could do to change the older flyer's mind. But how long could they turn a blind eye?

"I know," he said in agreement. "We need to bring this to his attention, but…you know him. He would deem this as something that he shouldn't get involved with."

Quincy was angry. Angry at himself for not being able to do anything, angry at Aaron's flawed ways of dealing with issues, and most of all, angry at Samuel for mistreating his wife and children in the first place.

"Well, we can't just pretend it's not happening. Not anymore."

"Quincy, you _know_ our leader."

"Our leader?"

"Yes."

"A leader wouldn't just sit here and do _nothing_!"

Those words stung. While Quincy had been studying under his supervision, Jonathan had taught him exactly that.

"Alright. Let's go see what he says."

...

Meanwhile, Leia was doing everything in her power to help the ailing flyer.

"I've done all I can," she told her children. "She might recover...or she might be content to give up and just pass on."

Sierra's brother held on tight to his sisters, while Sierra sat idly with sullen eyes.

"She's been through a lot," Leia said softly. "Please don't hold it against her, children." She placed a comforting hand on Sierra's shoulder before flying away to wash off.

Sierra's sister looked up at her older brother. "Why does dad hate mom...?"

"No," intervened Haniel, covered in dried gashes. "Don't say that. Your dad doesn't hate any of us."

Her youngest son innocently tilted his head. "Then why does he hit you?"

"Your father has a lot of anger inside of him," she explained. "His mother and father were not good parents. Your father doesn't know how to deal with his problems, and he takes it out on others. We were just unlucky enough to be in his way."

Sierra folded his arms. "That don't make it okay, though."

"You're right," she agreed. "But you mustn't let your father's behavior affect what you become. Don't let hatred fill your heart."

Sierra couldn't make any promises. His siblings however, could. They promised their mother that they would never turn out like their father.

...

"It's not our place to interfere."

Jonathan was not surprised in the least by Aaron's answer. He was the spitting image of his son Pterano, with the exception of size and the numerous gashes which showed where he had once been most vulnerable.

"Sir," interjected Quincy, "with all due respect, would you please try to understand?"

Aaron raised a brow. "Understand _what_?"

"How long are you going to keep ignoring this? It's not going to go away."

"It's a family matter. Let them solve it by themselves."

"It's not just a family matter anymore." Quincy found himself practically yelling at his leader, and managed to lower his voice.

"Everyone heard them, but no one did anything. Today, he hurt Haniel. Tomorrow, it could be her children. Would you really stand by and watch children get hurt, knowing you could stop it?"

Jonathan was quite proud; he was good at arguing, but Quincy was even better.

Aaron began to defend his reasoning, but found himself unable to counteract Quincy's argument. He sighed inwardly.

"Very well. We'll gather all the herd members and decide what we should do."

A messenger delivered the news to all of the flyers, commanding them to assemble in one place, but giving them the choice to stay at home if they wished. Soon, most of the flyers in the herd, with the exception of Kyra's mother and several others, had gathered to the hearing.

"Leia, darling," Leo lovingly nuzzled his mate as he prepared to leave. "Will you be staying here?"

Leia nodded, her eyes wandering over to Haniel, who was resting in a corner. "Yes. Someone should."

Leo nodded his head in agreement. "I'll stay with you." He looked at Kyra and Randy. "Kids, will you be alright going on your own?"

"Sure, dad," responded Randy. "Come on, Kyra."

As they closed in on the designated location, they could see several other flyers who were also just barely arriving. Kyra, being the most efficient flyer in her family, flew ahead and made a graceful landing.

Pterano had been remaining near his father, but when he laid his dark eyes on Kyra, he managed to quietly sneak away. Kyra scanned her surroundings for Pterano, and soon wound up in her lover's arms. "Pterano!"

"Hello, dearest." He rubbed her back, holding her close. "We've hardly gotten a chance to talk."

Kyra smiled kindly as she pulled away, although his arms were still loosely wrapped around her fit frame. "Oh, I know.."

"Pterano!"

His father was calling him. He gave a sigh of exasperation, and smiled knowingly as he shook his head. "I'm afraid I must go."

Kyra chortled. "It's fine, don't worry. Go ahead."

Pterano gave her hand a gentle squeeze before returning to his father's side.

Amongst all the murmurs and chatter in the crowd, Jonathan stepped up to silence everyone.

"Attention!"

Silence fell, and every member of the herd that was present directed their attention to the strongly built flyer.

Jonathan looked forward, and nodded. Moments later, the crowd parted to make way for the accused.

As Samuel made his way through the crowd of dinosaurs, one could easily tell that he was least welcome. Danielle held Sierra's siblings close to her, while Sierra did the same with the periwinkle flyer.

"Farrah," said Jonathan, addressing his wife. "Take Alexandra and Rinkus home. They don't need to see this, and Rinkus' parents are probably worried about him."

"Okay," agreed Farrah, taking a moment to rub her husband's shoulder. "Good luck."

"Thank you, love." He briefly nuzzled her, and watched as the three flyers flew off towards home.

"Samuel." Aaron stepped forward, his hands folded behind his back. His voice was gruff and gravelly. "Do you promise to tell the truth and only the truth?"

"...I promise," Samuel said begrudgingly.

"Tell us about what happened this morning," commanded Aaron. "What caused the fight?"

"I found out about Haniel," explained Samuel, making eye contact with Quincy.

"I found out about her...and Quincy. We yelled at each other, and I found out she never saw me as a husband or a father. I-I just lost it. I know it's bad, but I couldn't control myself. I just got so angry."

"But even if you do have a reason, it's no excuse to hit your wife."

"He was gonna hit us too!" Sierra's little sister cried out, clutching the flap of Danielle's wing. "He said we're nothing but trouble!"

"It's not just mommy anymore," added her brother.

It was difficult to ignore what the children said. This was solid evidence of Samuel's misdeed, and children so young wouldn't lie. Aaron tilted his head slightly upwards.

"Samuel. You have a reputation as someone who is not the best husband or father, but I've been able to pardon it until now. You very nearly killed your wife, and came very close to hurting your children as well. You clearly have some issues you need to work out and are a danger to others in the herd. You are to be banished. Permanently."

Samuel's breathing steadily grew louder. "What? You can't banish me!" He raised his hand, but Jonathan took prompt action.

He grabbed Samuel's wrist, gritting his teeth. "You lost your right to stay here the moment you raised your hand against your wife. You ran out of pardons when you decided to do the same to your children."

He abruptly let go, allowing Samuel to topple to the ground. "They will not be suffering anymore, not if I have anything to say about it."

Samuel stood up, massaging his aching wrist. "You haven't even heard my side of the story yet!"

Then, his eyes met Quincy's. Samuel angrily approached him, fists clenched. He almost punched him, but underestimated the other flyer's strength.

Quincy pushed him over onto his stomach, restraining him by digging his talons into the other's hands until blood began to trickle through the open cuts in his skin.

"Don't you ever go near Haniel or her children again, do you understand me? If you touch them again, I'll make sure you don't live to _tell_ your side of the story."

Jonathan waited for Aaron's word. After some time, he looked to his leader, who nodded.

"Quincy," he said. "That's quite enough."

"You are banished," Quincy continued, emerald eyes glowing with fury. "And that's that. I told you that I would make sure Aaron heard about this. I'm letting you go, but if I ever see you here again...I won't hold back." He released the flyer, and reassumed his position next to Jonathan.

"So it's settled then," announced Aaron. "Samuel, you will leave as soon as possible. You must be gone by tomorrow." He looked towards Jonathan, nodding his head.

Jonathan nodded his head in return, shifting his gaze towards the crowd. "Dismissed."

...

That night, Quincy took Haniel and her children to his home, while Sierra flew off to spend some time with Danielle. Haniel leaned against Quincy, barely coherent as her body slowly rose and fell.

Quincy gently prodded her beak with his, his eyes sad and knowing. He knew that the flyer he loved with all his heart was succumbing to her injuries, and that there was nothing he could do.

"You're tired, aren't you?"

Haniel raised her head, her tired half lidded eyes searching the cave before they looked up at Quincy. She gave a weak nod of her head.

Quincy smiled sadly. "It's alright, go to sleep." He turned to briefly glimpse at the small flyers playing and chatting amongst themselves.

"You needn't worry about your little ones. They'll be alright, I'll be here to look after them." He nuzzled her once more.

Haniel looked away, and her breath hitched. "I don't want this..."

Quincy clicked his tongue, his expression as gentle as the breeze that danced through the air.

"I know. I wanted to start a family with you, but...this is how it is, so this is how it must be."

Haniel's dark golden eyes locked with his, shining with a deep longing. Quincy knew what she was trying to say.

"Me too," he said softly. "...Goodnight, Haniel. Sleep well."

Haniel knew her family was in good and caring hands. She could finally be at peace, without having to worry about them being doomed to face Samuel's wrath without her protection. Her body went limp as she closed her weary eyes, finally leaving her body behind.

...

Sierra took Danielle's hand into his as they rested under the shade of a tree, the gentle breeze causing the long leaves to brush lightly against their skin under the cool nighttime air.

"Danielle," said Sierra, "can I ask you somethin'?"

"Of course."

Sierra squeezed her hand as a reassuring gesture, mostly for himself. "Well…uh, I think that we should leave our nests."

Danielle shook her head slightly. "You do?"

"Yeah. I know it's a lil' sudden, but my dad's gone. My mom...I don't think she's gonna make it."

"Sierra," Danielle scolded softly. "If you think like that, of course she won't. Have a little hope."

"You saw how bad she was hurt," he argued. "She ain't gonna hold out for long."

Danielle's eyes saddened. As much as she wished it weren't, it was the truth.

"Quincy's probably gonna take the kids, and I'm almost an adult. So are you. All we need to do is get permission from the boss."

Danielle snickered. "The boss?"

A small smile made it's way onto the brown flyer's face. "You know, Aaron. Pterano's old man."

Danielle looked down, stroking his hands with the flat of her thumbs. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sierra gave an affirmative nod.

"Alright," said Danielle, a genuine smile adorning her face as she threw her arms around Sierra. "I'd be happy to live with you."

...

"Uh, no."

Aaron's wife, Myra, glanced at her husband from the sidelines. She was a small but sightly light blue flyer, with a timid demeanor and slowly diminishing eyesight, which was evident in her wandering and glazed over eyes.

"Aaron..." her voice was scolding, and yet, she seemed to be begging him to reconsider. She supported the decision of the young flyers, but was in no way shocked by Aaron's answer.

"My decision is final," said Aaron. "Neither Danielle nor Sierra will be leaving their nests until the time comes."

"But Sierra has no parents," reasoned Myra. "His father has been banished, and his mother has passed on. And what of his younger siblings? Who will take care of _them_?"

"I will," offered Quincy, his slender neck slightly arched. "After all, they are Haniel's children. I loved the little lady and wanted to marry her. The least I can do is give her young ones a good upbringing."

Aaron seemed pleased with the other's answer. "Very well. Let it be so."

"But sir," interjected Quincy, "I do believe...that Sierra should be allowed to depart from the nest. It must be filled with terrible memories, and I think a fresh start with the one he loves would do him some good."

Aaron sighed, and looked to Myra, who pleaded with him, desperation in her eyes. Then, he faced Sierra and Danielle. "You do realize that if I do grant you permission, you must live on your own, correct?"

"Yes sir," mumbled Sierra.

Aaron sighed once more, pinching the bridge of his beak. "I'm going to regret this," he whispered to himself. "Very well," he finally said, in his unmissable tone of reluctant compliance. "But remember, Sierra and Danielle, you yourselves can stop this nonsense whenever you wish."

Myra wanted to reprimand her husband right then. Instead, she placed a firm hand on his shoulder, and motioned to the pair of flyers with her head. Aaron met her gaze, his eyes softening as they landed on hers. As impassive as the larger flyer was, he held little resistance against his wife's pleading eyes.

"Regardless," he said, looking Sierra and Danielle in the eyes. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors." There was a ghost of a smile on his face. "You have my leave to go."

After the meeting, Pterano turned to Kyra, who had come to offer emotional support. They had both been extremely busy with their own matters, and wanted time alone with each other.

As she listened to Pterano speak in his eloquent and charming manner, Kyra caught a glimpse of Quincy flying solemnly away. She watched him get farther and farther away, her green eyes glowing with concern.

"Let him go," suggested Pterano, rubbing Kyra's shoulder. "He needs time by himself."

Kyra looked at him, giving a good natured smile as he slung an arm around her shoulder and led her away.

...

The night circle was high in the dark nighttime sky, adorned with dark shades of black and blue. It was a clear night, and every star was visible. Kyra flew up to Quincy's home, speeding past Haniel's oldest son and daughter playing on a small and sturdy ledge. She found Quincy looking up at the sky, a little beige flyer nestled in his arms.

"Quincy?" Kyra took a seat next to him. "...How are you doing?"

"My heart is now part of the great circle of life," he said after a moment of silence, dipping his head. "For my love finally stopped flying and joined the others in the sky."

Kyra looked at him strangely. "What? What are you talking about?"

"Haniel had my heart," said Quincy. "She has joined the circle of life, and so my heart has joined it as well."

"Oh," replied Kyra, still not quite understanding what he was trying to communicate. "Well, are you okay?"

Quincy chuckled, almost cynically. "No. Not really." He looked back up at the starry sky. "But...I think I will be. I know she's always with me, because in a sky full of stars, I saw her."

Kyra peered at the sky, looking to see anything that looked remotely like Haniel, or like a flyer. "I don't see anything."

"You are young," said Quincy. "One day, when you're older and you've loved and lost, you will."

...

Kyra never understood what he meant. But now, as she stared at the group of stars that to her, looked like a flyer, like Pterano, she did. She truly loved him, and saw him everywhere. And so long as she could keep him in her memory, he would always be with her.

As the realization dawned on her, her eyes widened and she took off towards Tress' home.

"Pterano." She pulled on the flap of skin on his back with her talons. "Pterano, wake up."

"No," groaned Pterano, swatting at her. "Please, let me sleep."

"I need to show you something," insisted Kyra. "Please?"

Pterano groaned once more, and rolled onto his back. "Alright, Alright. I'm up." He let out a yawn, and followed Kyra outside. They landed on a tree branch near the watering hole.

"Look," said Kyra, pointing towards the sky. "Don't you see the flyer?"

Pterano squinted, his hand above his eyes. "I suppose," he said. "I can see the wings...but why did you need to wake me up so early...?"

"Because," said Kyra, smiling. "In a sky full of stars, I saw you."

Any annoyance that Pterano felt suddenly vanished, replaced by joy. His eyes twinkled, and his smile shined brighter than the star spangled sky.


	18. Chapter 18: The Sanctuary

**Hey guys, here's another chapter. This chapter is short, but will introduce us to some new characters. I hope you guys enjoy!**

"Chomper, _where_ are you taking us?"

"It's not far," said the sharptooth. "Come on!"

"I didn't ask how far it was," grumbled Cera. "I asked _where_ it was."

"Well, I know it's in the valley."

Cera groaned under her breath. That was far from the answer she was looking for.

"Do not worry Cera," said Ducky, hitching a ride on her brother. "We will see when we get there. Yep, yep, yep."

"So," began Littlefoot, "what does this place look like?"

"There's a lot of water and rocks," explained Chomper.

"Also a lot of green food," added Ruby.

Petrie flew around in a circle before resuming his place on Littlefoot's head. "Ooh! Me excited."

They walked a few more feet until reaching a large rock which could only be climbed over. Spike had difficulty getting over, but eventually made it with help from Littlefoot and of course, encouragement from his friends. Once they'd all surpassed the rock, they felt the warm light shining into the darkness of the caves.

"We're close," said Ruby. "Close we are."

As the dinosaurs stepped out into the light, they arrived at a paradise they never even knew existed. Of course, it paled in comparison to the rest of the Great Valley, but it was still a sight to marvel at.

Petrie flew up into the air and perched himself on top of a ledge. "Look at all the green food! They even got waterfall!"

"Who cares," complained Cera. "We have places like this all over the valley. What makes this so special?"

"We no have to share it," said Petrie.

Spike munched happily on a nearby bush, his eyes drifting upwards. Suddenly, he let out a grunt, almost as if he'd seen a sharptooth or some other strange and unfamiliar creature.

Ducky, who had been sitting on top of his head, leaned over. "What is wrong, Spike?" When she looked up, she noticed it too.

A mauve flyer with curious turquoise eyes was balancing itself on an upper ledge, tilting it's head as it let out a soft warbling noise. This flyer was unlike any she'd ever seen. It had two darker crests on the front of both her upper and lower beak, full of serrated teeth. The flyer seemed cautious and untrusting of the visitors.

Ducky let out a gasp, her blue eyes wide. "Look!" She pointed towards the flyer, and all eyes went on it.

"Wow!" Petrie was amazed. "It pretty!"

Cera took a step back. "It's teeth look too sharp."

Ruby intertwined her fingers together. "What do you think it's thinking about?"

The flyer let out an ear piercing screech and spread it's wings, quite like most flyers did when taking off. These wings were so long, they could have been used to trap heat. The flyer took off into the air, gliding gracefully before disappearing. It returned with another, much bigger flyer. The second flyer was a light grey with icy blue eyes that constantly appeared to be passing judgements.

The two flyers squawked at each other, appearing to be engaging in some sort of conversation.

Cera raised a brow. "What are they doing?"

"Talking," said Chomper. "I can understand sharpteeth flyers too. It's pretty much the same as what my parents use, but sort of different."

The friends shifted their attention back to the flyers, who were now purring and nuzzling each other.

Littlefoot couldn't help a smile. "They must really love each other..."

"I don't care," said Cera. "I'm telling the grown ups. These are sharpteeth."

"No, wait!"

Usually, it was Littlefoot who protested against reporting their findings to the grownups. But, that voice was...unfamiliar.

Cera looked up at the first flyer. "Was that...?"

"Yes," the flyer said, swooping down and landing in front of the threehorn. She had a high pitched and airy voice. "That was me."

Cera was astonished that the flyer could understand her, let alone speak and hold up a conversation.

"Don't look so shocked," she said in a flat and unimpressed tone. "Just because I have sharp teeth and eat meat, doesn't mean I'm stupid."

Once Cera had finally closed her mouth and recovered from the initial surprise, she reverted back to her hostile self. "Well, why _shouldn't_ I tell the grown ups?"

"Because we mean no harm," interjected the second flyer, who was a male with a calm and smooth voice, like he was speaking to a frightened hatchling. "We only eat small fish, and we don't hunt other dinosaurs."

Petrie flew in front of the pair. "So, what you trying to say is...you good?"

The male flyer gave a nod and a smile, his eyes twinkling. "Yes. Thank you for understanding, child."

Petrie smiled back. The larger flyer was rather charming, in the way that he reminded Petrie of his uncle.

Ruby stepped up next. "What are your names?"

"Esperanza," said the female flyer. "And this is my husband, Aidan."

"Where did you guys come from?" Interrogated Cera. "Why are you here?"

"Cera," scolded Littlefoot. "Cut it out."

"It's alright," insisted Esperanza, giving a dismissive wave of her hand. "We'd do well to clear things up now."

Aidan massaged her shoulder, well aware of how dreadful the story of their place of origin was.

"We come from a place called Ornith Valley," she began. "It was actually quite similar to this place. It was green, with tall trees going for miles, and _so_ many streams and rivers, and lakes. It was an ideal home."

"It sound nice," remarked Petrie. "Me wanna go there!"

"It was nice," stated Esperanza, although there was clearly a catch. "...If you were a specific type of flyer. If you had a crest on both beaks, if you looked like us, it was a paradise. But our kind are not the most tolerant." She pointed towards Petrie. "If _you_ were to go to Ornith Valley, you'd be chased out, or worse, killed."

Petrie gulped. "Me no want to go anymore."

"Anyway," Esperanza resumed. "Ornith Valley was a good home, until our leader died. His son took over, and everything went to ruin. Nothing was the way it used to be."

"What happened?" Asked Littlefoot.

"He was a brute. He sent children to go hunt for fish. Children! They couldn't have been anymore than your age..." Esperanza withheld the tears that threatened to pour. "He tried to make me his mate, but by then, I'd already chosen Aidan. That didn't matter to him, though."

Ruby's blue eyes were wide and sad. "Is that when you guys left?"

Esperanza and Aidan nodded. "Yes," Esperanza answered. "It was roughly around that time. I couldn't handle it anymore, so we left in secret." A tiny flyer flew up to her, and landed in her hand. "Several members of the herd wanted their children to have a good future, so they gave their children to us to look after." Esperanza nuzzled the flyer before releasing her into the air. "That's how we ended up here. We don't look to kill, just to live in peace. That's all."

Aidan had never stopped massaging her shoulder the entire time. He looked to the small adolescents, his eyes pleading. "Now that you know, please don't tell anyone. If we go back to the mysterious beyond, he...he'll find us for sure. Please."

Cera gave it some thought. All her friends had already taken a liking to these flyers, and if they truly meant no harm...the least she could do was keep their secret safe. She groaned under her breath, and forced a smile. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with us."

The two flyers showed their utmost gratitude with kind and grateful smiles, before allowing the children to return home. On their way home, they chatted about the mysterious creatures they'd just encountered.

"I kind of want to go back to the flyer sanctuary," said Ruby. "That I do."

"Flyer sanctuary?" Repeated Cera.

Littlefoot thought for a moment. "You know...that's not a bad name. We'll need to call it something, won't we?"

Petrie mumbled the name to himself, seeing how it sounded. "Me like it!"

"Of course you do," commented Cera, making everyone laugh.


	19. Chapter 19: Never the Same

**Hey, guys. I actually found time to update today. This chapter I really enjoyed writing, despite how intense and serious it is. It focuses on more of Pterano's past, tying everything up sort of. I hope you guys enjoy!**

Pterano flew up to his sister's nest, examining the clouds that stretched across the sky. He had opted to take the long way home to avoid any possible confrontation. He was really trying his hardest to redeem himself, but it was no use. Nothing would ever be the same again. He sat on the ledge, folding his wings around his frame as if he were hugging himself.

"Pterano?" Tress' unmissable voice sounded from behind him.

"Tress, please," he pleaded. "Leave me be."

Tress didn't try to press matters further, fully aware that her brother still had a plethora of issues he needed to recognize and fix. "Alright," she said. "Would you like to be alone?"

"That would be most appreciated."

Without another word, Tress took off. She hoped that Pterano didn't want to be alone all night, for her children needed a place to sleep.

Pterano's dark eyes roamed all over the valley, the numerous dinosaurs bringing back memories of the single most grave mistake of his life. He'd managed to push that horrid memory to the back of his mind, but it was beginning to resurface, bringing back other memories Pterano didn't want to remember.

... _"Alma? Hey, wake up. What's wrong with you? Are you okay? No…this can't be happening…please wake up, Alma, just open your eyes. Please!"_

Pterano recognized the voice, somewhat. In his groggy state, he initially thought it was Charlie. As he woke up, he came to realize that it was the voice of Charlie's brother, Jan.

Jan's screaming soon woke everyone else up, but he could hardly find it in him to care. Throughout this whole mess, the only thing that kept him going was the fact that he and Alma possibly had a future. Now, he couldn't stop crying. It was a pitiful sight.

Seeing Jan in such emotional anguish opened Pterano's eyes to how lucky he was. So many families had lost so much, but he still had his family and Kyra. He wandered around the small space, searching for her. When he couldn't find her, he assumed that she had gone outside, so he woke her father.

"Mr. Leo, sir?"

"Hm?" Leo opened his eyes, still half asleep. "Oh, Pterano...yes?"

"Have you seen Kyra? If she went outside..."

"She was sleeping right next to me..." Leo's eyes drifted downwards to find that the space that had once been occupied by his daughter, was now empty. His eyes widened in shock and fear. "She was right here!"

"So, she hasn't gone outside?"

Leo shook his head. "She would have told me."

Now, Pterano was worried. He placed a hand on his chin, frantically wondering where his love could have gone. Amidst his panic, he gave a slight bow. "Thank you. I'm sorry for bothering you." After that, he began pacing around the room.

Tress noticed her brother's plight, but she was still grieving from the loss of Randy. She wouldn't be able to comfort Pterano. If anything, she'd make things worse, so she said nothing.

Pterano spent the whole day searching. He soared across the skies, screaming Kyra's name. His efforts were in vain. No matter how loud he was, he received no answer. When he landed back home, he was met by his mother, who searched his eyes for answers. Even as her life slowly ebbed away, she still found time to be worried about her children.

"Pterano. Come here, dear."

He shook his head sadly, crying into his mother's chest. She wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back.

"It's alright," she cooed. "Just let it all out."

Pterano sobbed. "Why would she leave...? I loved her, I..."

"I know, darling." His mother wiped away his tears. "It's terrible and unfair. But you must understand that Kyra is gone. And even if she is no longer here, you must stay strong. We need to stay together, especially in a time like this. Please try to understand."

Pterano's mother was always so gentle and wise. He clearly took after her when it came to his behavior and emotions, but physically resembled his father.

"Mother?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you think that she may be out there somewhere? Or do you think that she's..."

"I don't know. It's entirely possible that she may still be alive, but the chance that she's not has the same likelihood."

Pterano nodded, knowing that she was right. His mother was always right.

...

"I'm going to kill him."

"I-I don't think that would be very smart, Sierra."

Sierra turned to face Rinkus, his eyes angry. "Why not, huh? He killed everything I ever loved! My mom died 'cause he didn't say somethin' when he should have. Danielle's dead 'cause..."

"Because she got eaten by a sharptooth," Rinkus finished for him. "Alex is gone because of that too. That's not Aaron's fault. We can't control the minds of sharpteeth."

"I don't care," spat Sierra. "I'm still blamin' him. We should've moved when that Kiara girl died, but no, that stuck up prick can't swallow his pride!"

"C-C-Calm down, Sierra." Rinkus motioned with his hands, worried what would become of his friend if he was caught talking ill about their leader.

"Don't tell me to calm down," snapped Sierra. "I am calm!"

Rinkus winced; Sierra's hollering was starting to give him a headache. He clenched his fists and stood on his toes. "Then stop yelling!"

"What are you two talking about?"

Sierra and Rinkus jumped, nearly flying upwards and hitting their heads. For a split second, Rinkus feared that Aaron had heard Sierra dissing him. When he turned around, he'd never felt more relieved.

"Oh, Pterano!" Rinkus chuckled, a hand on his chest. "Oh, good. I thought you were someone else."

"Someone else...?"

"We thought you were Aaron," growled Sierra. "It wouldn't matter if it was him, I'd still pound that egotistical jerk."

" _Sierra_!" Rinkus's voice was barely above a whisper, but he was clearly scolding the brown flyer.

Pterano resented his father at times, but even he seemed offended. "I say, how dare you?"

Sierra was hardly intimidated. "Because of him, Danielle is gone, and so is Alex. Rinkus can act like this don't bother him none, but I can't."

"My father couldn't have foreseen that sharptooth attack, Sierra."

"I _don't_ care. He's the leader, ain't he?"

"Well, yes..."

"Then he's responsible. He's gotta step up and admit that this is his fault."

"Sierra, I know this is bad, but—"

"He has a point," interjected Rinkus. "Your father is the leader, so he _should_ be taking responsibility instead of avoiding the problem, yes?"

"Both of you need to—"

"Wait." Rinkus extended his hand, motioning for him to be quiet. He peered outside, and saw Aaron flying towards the swamplands below. "Hey, where's your father going?"

"What?" Pterano pushed past them and saw that his father was indeed going somewhere. Alone.

"Come on," said Sierra, spreading out his wings and preparing for take off. "Let's check it out."

"Hold on." Rinkus grabbed hold of Sierra's arm. "We can't just fly in there all willy-nilly." He searched the landscape, his eyes widening when his eye caught sight of a large tree near the swamp, with plenty of leaves to hide them. "There. We can hide there."

Sierra was about to take off again, but Rinkus pushed him back onto the floor. "Not yet, buzzard brain." He took a moment to perform a quick check of the skies. "All clear. _Now_ we can go."

Sierra huffed, and took to the sky. Rinkus followed him, and noticed Pterano still waiting. "Pterano? Aren't you coming with us?"

"Hm?" Pterano looked up, and averted his gaze. He'd been thinking about Kyra. "Oh. Um, yes. I'm coming." He flapped his wings, allowing them to lift him into the air.

The three flyers soared through the dark sky, the twinkling stars guiding their way. They swooped down towards the tree, the leaves creating a soft rustle as they landed on a branch.

Sierra unknowingly had his wing in Rinkus' face. "What's goin' on?"

"I can't see," the pink flyer hissed, elbowing Sierra. Once his view was no longer obstructed, he let his eyes do the rest of his work.

"Well?" Pterano's eyes were wide with anticipation. "What do you see?"

"It's...Jan! He just flew down." Rinkus stole a brief glimpse of Pterano. "He's talking to your father."

...

Aaron scanned the dark and scrawny trees that surrounded him and the grayish blue flyer. It was a bit unsettling, but it hardly bothered him.

"So, Jan," he said, addressing the other. "What was it you wanted to speak to me about?"

Jan twiddled with his thumbs, his pale blue eyes nervous and uncertain.

"Jan. I don't have all night."

"I'm sorry, sir. It's just that today...I lost my wife."

"I heard. I give you my condolences."

" _Keep them_ ," Jan murmured in a low voice before returning to his original volume and tone.

"Sir, we have been losing more members of the herd. So many are injured and dying...our way of life, I think, is dying."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I-I think that we should...uh, what I'm trying to say is…"

"Out with it, Jan!"

Poor Jan was so frightened, that his hands flew to his face. "O-Okay! I think that we should move!"

" _What_?" Aaron's tone was dark.

"Please, sir..." Jan was bawling his eyes out. "T-There has to be some place better than this."

"There _is_ no place better than this! This herd was _started_ here, and it will _end_ here!"

Tears streamed down Jan's face at an uncontrollable rate. His eyes were like the river on a bright day, but they were not beautiful. They held nothing but pure fear.

"Then," he sobbed through ragged gasps of panic, "Then you've killed us all!"

That was it. That was the catalyst. In that moment, Aaron lost whatever calm he had, unleashing a viscous storm. He raised his hand and struck Jan, every ounce of anger carried in that single blow.

Jan let out a pained grunt as his body fell into the water, sprawled out in a way that was anything but natural. Even the loud splash was not able to drown out the sound of the bones in his neck being shattered to pieces. He was not bleeding, but he lost consciousness the moment his body made contact with the earth. He would never wake up.

It wasn't until every little noise ceased that Aaron realized what he'd done. Even the small nighttime creatures stopped chirping, almost as if they were watching. His dark eyes were wider than they'd ever been. Quickly, it began to sink in that he had just murdered a member of his own herd. He'd taken someone else's life.

But perhaps, he thought, there was a chance. His eyes never left Jan's limp body, even as water soaked his legs. He knelt down, a genuine look of fear on his usually stoic face. Hoping against hope, he held out his hand above Jan's agape beak, checking for any breathing.

There was nothing, not even a feeble, little gasp. He'd died on the spot.

The trio watched the entire scene unfold, and by a stroke of luck, Aaron never saw them hiding in the tree. They were all shocked; even Sierra was wide eyed.

Rinkus was the first to speak. "Poor Jan…" He'd never even known the flyer that well, but he didn't deserve that. No creature deserved such a fate.

Pterano couldn't find his words. He just witnessed his father kill someone, someone he knew. What would his mother say? Her poor heart wouldn't be able to take it. Before he could delve too deep into his thoughts, a voice brought him back to reality.

"Sir." It was one of the guards. He'd come to deliver a message, and wasn't expecting to see Jan's corpse lying in the water. "Uh..."

"I'll explain later," said Aaron. "What is it? Do you have a message for me?"

The flyer cleared his throat. "Um, yes. It's about your wife. She told me to get you."

"Why? Is something the matter?"

"...She's dying, sir. She doesn't think she'll last much longer, and she wants you to be with her when she passes."

Aaron pushed the matter concerning Jan to the back of his mind, his wife being his first priority at the moment. "Take me to her. And...inform Charlie of his brother."

"Of course, sir."

The two flyers took off, leaving Pterano and his friends.

Pterano couldn't forget the messenger's words. They ricocheted off of his mind, over and over again.

"Mother...dying?"

In that moment, Pterano didn't seem to be in control of his own body. He was drawn towards home, where his mother was. When he, Rinkus, and Sierra arrived, Pterano's father been awaiting his son's arrival.

"There you are, Pterano. Come."

Pterano couldn't look his father in the eye. How could he kill someone and then act as if nothing happened? Rather than obeying his father, Pterano stood in a corner next to his sister. As he watched his father pull his mother into a tender embrace, he saw it. The sorrow in his eyes. Whether it was because of his guilt or because of his wife dying, Pterano didn't know, and he couldn't find it in him to feel the least bit sorry.

Aaron rarely showed any emotion at all, unless it was around his family. And even then, it was rare. But now, a flood of emotions spilled out. He held Myra close to him, cradling her fragile body in his calloused arms.

Myra could tell something was bothering him, even in her weakened state. "Aaron. Is there something you want to tell me?"

Aaron looked into her eyes, and the two shared a moment of silent communication.

"...No. Except that I love you, and I'm proud to call you my wife and the mother of my children."

Myra chuckled, her glazed eyes drifting off towards the night sky. "You're always so serious. I wish I could see you smile, but...I can hardly see anymore."

Aaron forced a smile, for her sake. It was the least he could do. "I'm smiling now. You can't see it, but I am."

"I believe it," rasped Myra, who could feel him smiling. "Can...Can I see Tress and Pterano?"

Aaron looked up, silently motioning for his children to come over. They gripped both of her hands, Pterano holding one and Tress holding the other.

"Oh, children. You've both been through a lot." She held onto their hands, her grip increasingly feeble. "I'm sorry that you had to experience this terrible feeling...and I'm sorry that your father has to experience it as well. But don't fret. I know it seems hopeless, but you will both be fine. I know you will. I love you." She and Aaron briefly touched beaks. "All of you."

"We love you too, mother," said Pterano, a bittersweet smile on his face. "Thank you for all you've done."

Myra beamed, a glimmer of joy in her sunken eyes. "Tress?"

"Yes, mom?"

"Take care of your children...raise them how Randy would have wanted you to."

Tress nodded, tearfully smiling. "I will. I wish you could be here to see them..."

"Me too..."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes clamping shut as she suddenly stopped breathing in Aaron's lap. It wasn't exactly sudden; they all knew it was coming, but it still hit hard. A horrible noise escaped her, and as horrifying and painful as it sounded, it was over in a matter of seconds. Her body went still, and she looked peaceful. Like she was asleep.

Pterano blinked away the tears, tightly squeezing his mother's cold and dead hand. Tress, who'd lost her mate, friends, and mother, began to wail. Aaron remained silent, but Pterano saw him shed a single teardrop. He knew more tears were threatening to fall, and left the scene so he could grieve in peace.

Pterano watched him leave, and had a slight change of heart. He did feel sorry for his father. He'd never understand why he did what he did, nor would he ever hold him in the same respect as he once did, but he hoped that the older flyer would be alright.

Aaron never was alright. Nobody was, especially after the events of that night. Charlie had lost his entire family, save for his children. Aaron had lost his lifelong mate and the trust of his herd, Pterano and Tress their mother. But Pterano lost something else that night…his respect for his father.

Families grieved, crying at the loss of their loved ones. More of them began to speak of leaving the herd. At one point, Quincy had enough. He hadn't lost anyone to the strange plague that overtook their land, but he'd lost someone important to him before due to Aaron's negligence. He approached him one night, with an intention to be brutally honest.

"Aaron." He didn't address him with any honorifics. He wasn't going to attempt to be respectful.

"Quincy. Good to see you."

Quincy was in no mood for pleasantries. "This has gone on long enough, Aaron."

Aaron knew what he was speaking of, but didn't wish to acknowledge it.

"I'm sure you know why I'm here."

"…The answer is no."

Quincy could hardly believe it. Just how big was this flyer's ego?

"Your herd is turning _against_ you. You know they are."

This angered Aaron, who impulsively clamped his hand around Quincy's wrist in a fit of anger. "Do you know to whom you speak?"

Quincy snatched his hand away, and narrowed his eyes. "I know to whom I speak, _Aaron_." He sighed. "You bring this upon yourself."

Aaron's eyes were filled with nothing but contempt for the flyer before him, the flyer who had once been one of his most loyal guards.

"I don't care what you say. I'm leaving, with my children. Jonathan and Farrah are too, as well as Charlie and several others. There's nothing left for us here."

"Go on then. See if I care."

"Alright. We're leaving right this moment."

"Very well. Goodbye."

The small group took off, with Jonathan staying behind to say his goodbyes.

"...I'm sorry it's come to this." He looked at the flyer who had once been his superior one last time, and then helped Farrah onto his back. He flew away moments after, leaving his first and only home behind.

Aaron didn't answer until they were gone. "...So am I."

Pterano had watched the entire thing from the sidelines, mortified at his father's selfishness and refusal to take the wellbeing of the herd into consideration. Unseen to his father, his face contorted into a frown as he shook his head. Whatever fate befell the old flyer, he deserved it.

As time dragged on, more flyers abandoned the herd. Leo, Danielle's parents, and soon…Rinkus and Sierra. However, Sierra refused to leave until he gave Aaron a piece of his mind.

"Hey, Aaron!"

Aaron, now used to no longer being addressed as 'sir', turned around.

"I hope you're happy now! This is all your fault, and you're gonna pay!"

Rinkus, who just wanted to leave, held Sierra by the shoulders. "S-S-Sierra, that's enough."

"No, it ain't!" He pointed a shaky finger at Aaron. "He was the one who killed Jan! Jan was just askin' to move and he _broke his neck_!"

Aaron didn't bother to hide his guilt, or pretend he was innocent. He had nothing more to lose.

"That's right, I saw it! And so did Rinkus and Pterano." Sierra pointed towards the mentioned flyers.

The families, at least those that were left, all expressed their fear. Some held their mates close to them and scooped up their children, while some left right then and there.

Pterano just hung his head in disappointment, while Tress looked at her father for confirmation, fear in her eyes. When she found out it was true, she sunk to her knees and cried.

Satisfied that the truth was now in the open, Sierra finally flew away with Rinkus.

... Pterano suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, returning to the real world. Not much time had passed; the bright circle was barely beginning to set. Still, it was surprising how clearly he remembered everything. It was like he'd relived it. But those memories were nothing compared to what happened next. Pterano didn't even want to think about it.

Then, Kyra swooped down and took a seat next to him.

"What are you doing up here?"

"Oh...I just wanted to be alone."

"Pterano," she sighed. "I know you've been through a lot. And I've heard you've done some terrible things. But I want to hear it from you. We both know what happened before, and..lit would make me feel more confident telling you what happened to me after I left, if you tell me what happened to you."

 _So much for not wanting to think about it._

"Alright," said Pterano. "Very well. Do you remember Jan? Charlie's brother?"

Kyra nodded. "Yes, I used to have a crush on him when I was younger."

Pterano glared at her in such a way it made her laugh.

"Pterano!" She cackled, slinging an arm around him and resting her head on his shoulder. "I didn't love him, I just thought he was handsome. Please, continue."

Pterano wrapped an arm around her, returning to his story. "Well...my father killed him."

"What?" Kyra was taken by surprise, not expecting to hear that. She lifted her head, still keeping her arm around him. "What happened?"

"Jan lost Alma. He woke up one morning to find she was dead. No one knows what happened."

"Oh, no..." Kyra's eyes welled up with tears. She hardly knew Alma, but it was still rather depressing to think that an innocent creature was dead for no reason.

Pterano sadly nodded his head. "Yes. And Jan, in his grief, asked my father if the herd could move away. But of course, my father was sure he had all the answers and couldn't handle having his authority questioned. Poor Jan was so frightened, and had an outburst. That was when my father struck him. He passed out right then, but he never did wake up."

Kyra brought a hand to her mouth, shaking her head. "That's terrible...Jan didn't deserve that."

"Nothing deserved _that_ ," added Pterano. "Anyway, more members of the herd began to leave. Quincy and his children, Jonathan and Farrah, Charlie and his children, your father…I could go on. Even Rinkus and Sierra left at some point. It just continued to get worse from there."

Kyra massaged his shoulder, briefly touching his beak. "Tell me."

...It didn't take long for the remaining families to leave. After hearing what their leader did, they feared for their lives and their loved ones as well. If he killed Jan in a fit of anger, what was stopping him from doing the same to them?

Soon, all that was left was Pterano, his father, and Tress. One of the many reasons the herd flourished for so long was the large number of flyers. But now, with only the three of them, they were at a high risk.

Pterano refused to speak to his father. When he did address him once, it was cold and harsh.

"We need to relocate. There's no one left."

"He's right," added Tress. "Look at this place."

Aaron clenched his fists. "Fine," he growled through gritted teeth. He took off, his children following him.

After days of flying, they found an opening in a cliff to nest in. Pterano helped Tress gather leaves and twigs, and there, she laid the eggs which she had been withholding for a little while.

The downsized family hardly spoke to each other. Aaron often went in search of food, and came back hours later. Then, he would go searching for more.

One day, when Aaron had decided to stay, they were attacked. Two gigantic sharptooth flyers with rectangular crests on their heads swooped in out of nowhere and caught them by surprise. Pterano and his family didn't stand a chance.

Tress' hands went to her face. "Pterano, what are we going to do?"

Suddenly, Aaron lunged towards one of the flyers, his dark eyes filled with determination.

In the heat of the moment, Pterano screeched. "Father, don't!"

It was too late. The flyer dug her sharp and pointed rows of teeth into Aaron's flesh, squeezing the life out of him. He put up quite the fight, but he was no match for such a lethal creature. Within seconds, the life was gone from his eyes and his body was completely still.

The other flyer flew towards his mate, talking to her in his own language of screeches and growls. Then, the pair zoomed off towards their nest.

If the silence before wasn't awkward, it definitely was now. Pterano and Tress were all that were left of their family. Pterano took his father's place and gathered food for him and his sister without uttering a word. He wondered if they would ever speak to each other again. It seemed hopeless for a while, until the eggs hatched.

"Tress…they're beautiful."

"They are, aren't they?"

Pterano smiled, his eye drifting towards a small brown flyer tugging on his wing. He scooped the flyer up in his hands, nuzzling him to show that he meant no harm. "Look. This one reminds me of Randy."

"How so?"

Pterano touched the hatchling's nose with his finger. "He's needy."

He and Tress burst into a fit of giggles, and shared a laugh.

"What will you name him?"

"Petrie," Tress announced without a sign of hesitation. "Randy always liked that name."

"Well, it's very fitting." Pterano scratched little Petrie under his chin. "I can tell he's going to be a special one. They all are."

They remained in the cliff until the hatchlings were about a year old. Pterano had suggested traveling to the Great Valley, and while Tress was skeptical, they had nothing to lose by making the journey. So, once the hatchlings were old enough, they set out.

During their journey, there was a catastrophic earthshake, even worse than the one that killed Randy. The land was split in two, and not all dinosaurs were able to stay above ground. Families were divided, and many were lost, or worse, trapped.

Luckily, Pterano and Tress managed to hide themselves and the hatchlings, biding their time until the tremors ceased. When they finally did, Tress stepped out to make sure the coast was clear.

"Everyone okay?"

"Yes mama," the hatchlings replied in unison.

Tress wanted to be sure, so she did a count of every hatchling, moving them to the side as soon as they had been accounted for.

"One, two, three, four, five…that can't be right." She counted again, and let out an ear piercing screech of panic when she realized there were only five little flyers instead of six.

"What's the matter, Tress?"

"One of the hatchlings is missing! Petrie! Petrie?"

Pterano's heart sunk. To lose one of the hatchlings was horrible, but Pterano had taken a specific liking to Petrie, the little flyer who reminded him so much of Randy.

"Petrie!" Pterano flapped his wings and flew around the area, searching for his lost nephew. "Petrie, are you there? Answer me, Petrie!"

He'd hoped that he'd find Petrie behind a rock or in a crawl space, but he had no such luck. After flying in the blazing heat of the bright circle for quite some time, he reached a point where he had to land and rest. Disappointed and devastated, he returned to Tress.

"Did you find him?"

Pterano shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Tress..."

Tress didn't have much of a response. She knew that something like this had always been possible, and that they had to move on. Scanning the landscape once more, she sighed.

"Come, children. We must keep moving."

And so, the family carried on, eventually meeting up with another herd of dinosaurs whom had also been separated from their families. There was a large number of them, so Tress and Pterano felt that they were safe. Tress and her children rode on the backs of other dinosaurs, while Pterano remained mostly airborne, keeping to himself. They traveled all day in the heat, which gave way to arguments. Just when things were starting to get heated and were beginning to lead to a physical assault of some kind, an elderly longneck spoke up.

"Now, now," he began, his gentle voice instilling calmness in the others. "There's no need to fight. We're all tired and hungry, and the heat is getting to us. Perhaps, we should rest here for the time being."

"There's even some water to drink," added his mate. "We can all have a drink and move on when it's cooler."

"Yes," said the male longneck. "Right now, it's important that we remain a group. No one decision outweighs the other."

So, the herd made a rest stop in the rocky area, drinking their fill and resting their aching joints.

Pterano found himself talking to the others in the herd, telling stories of his adventures. His stories received much positive reception, so much, in fact, that he began fabricating his tales.

"And so," he announced, standing on top of a rock, his wings outstretched, "even though I was within the jaws of _death_ , I managed to escape and teach that beast a lesson! He never dared to challenge _me_ again."

Several dinosaurs gasped in awe, amazed by the story he told. Others, however, were skeptical.

Tress frowned at her brother, her hands on her hips. "That never happened," she murmured.

"Bah!" Spat a gruff looking threehorn. "Sounds like a whole lot of nonsense to me."

Pterano ignored the grouchy threehorn, knowing that there was a good number of dinosaurs who supported him. He genuinely felt that he could lead the herd to the Great Valley, that he could be a great leader; even greater than his father.

The following day, he resumed his position on top of the rock. The way he spoke was so eloquent and charismatic that his followers couldn't help but put every ounce of their faith in him. Soon, he led them away from the rest of the herd.

"This way," he instructed, pointing with his talons. "Go this way if you want to reach the Great Valley. It's not too far, I assure you."

"Pterano." Tress' voice carried a cold warning tone. "Pterano, you're making a big mistake."

"Dear sister," he chuckled, "the only mistake I made was not stepping up earlier. Trust me, this is for the greater good." He paused for a moment before preparing to fly. "Never mind. You'll see soon enough." Just like that, he was gone. And so were the others.

Pterano felt that they were making good progress, especially when they reached an area with bunches of green food.

"Oh," remarked a duckbill, "is this the Great Valley?"

Pterano didn't get a chance to answer, for he was interrupted by the tumbling of rocks. The dinosaurs panicked, running for their lives.

" _Oh! Danger_!"

" _Run, run_!"

" _SHARPTEETH_!"

Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, a pack of fast biters emerged. They growled and hissed, creating more panic and separating the herd. Pterano was forced to watch as the dinosaurs he'd barely gotten to know were cornered and then ripped apart to shreds by the powerful jaws which were built to kill. He spotted the duckbill, dangling off the side of a cliff, her claws creating scratches in the earth as she held on for dear life. Her scream as she fell into the depths below would haunt him for as long as he lived.

Pterano couldn't take much more. He covered his face with his hands, and began the flight of shame back to the others.

Tress landed in front of him, shooting him a questioning and hostile look. "Well? Where are the others?"

Pterano cowered away from his sister, his hands gripping his head. "It's not my fault. It wasn't my fault..."

At that point, Pterano was kicked out from the herd, and they moved on without him. The flyer lived out his days in the mysterious beyond until he one day encountered his old friends. He managed to convince Sierra and Rinkus to travel to the Great Valley with him, for he was planning to visit his sister, and his nieces and nephews.

Upon his arrival, he heard of the stone of cold fire, and the possibility of it containing magical powers. This was it, he thought. He had another chance. He had another chance to prove himself worthy of leadership.

Unfortunately, he took the chance, which resulted in him being banished for five brutal cold times. But he understood. His actions were beyond questionable… and it was his duty to be accountable for them.

... "Oh, Kyra..." He hid his face in his hands. "You must know that I never meant for any of it to happen. There was nothing more I wanted than for things to be right again...my intentions were noble."

"I know, Pterano. I know that you truly did mean well, but...your actions were still wrong."

"I know. And now, I fear that things will never be the same again."

Kyra removed his hands from his eyes. "You're right. Things will never be the same again, and that is a good thing."

"It is...?"

"Yes. If things remained as they were, where would we be?"

Pterano gave it a moment of thought. "In the mysterious beyond, starving?"

"Exactly. Things do change, but sometimes, it's good that they do."

"I suppose..."

"I still regret leaving, but in a way, I'm glad I did. I lived a much better life than I would have if I had stayed, and I was able to find you again." She took his hands into hers. "And now...we can be together. We can do what we wish. Isn't that what we've always wanted? To not be held back by the boundaries our herd set for us?"

Slowly, Pterano nodded. "...Yes. It is. And I'm glad we have it."

Kyra smiled, and gave a deep and saddened sigh. "I just wish the others could have been here with us." She looked up at the bright circle, and then at the rest of the valley below them.

"What's the matter, dearest?"

"This place would have been a dream come true for Kiara and Charlie."

"You miss Kiara, don't you?"

Kyra nodded, tears suddenly springing to her eyes. "More than I ever thought possible..."

Pterano held her close. "Well, she'll always be with you, so long as you remember her."

Kyra didn't say anything, just flashed an unconvincing smile.

Pterano knew just the thing to do. He smiled slyly before clearing his throat, and began to sing.

"I know that we can last forever, ever, and more~"

Kyra gasped softly, tears now falling freely from her eyes like waterfalls the very moment she recognized the familiar melody.

"You remembered our song...!"

"Of course I did. You and Kiara would sing it all the time."

"Oh, this brings back so many memories..."

"Do you see what I mean? She's never truly gone unless you forget her completely."

Kyra nodded her head, eyes glistening from her tears. "I understand." She wrapped her arms around the other flyer. "Thank you, Pterano."

Pterano wrapped his arms around her in response. "Of course, my dear."

"I never thought the day would come where we could do this again..."

"It's rather grand, isn't it?"

"It is," squeaked Kyra, wiping away her tears. "It is."


	20. Chapter 20: Decisions

**Hi, guys! I know that I haven't made an update since January (which is probably good since I was updating at least a chapter a day), but I got most of them out of the way. This chapter focuses on some new characters, if you read chapter three, you might remember them. :) Enjoy, and have a nice week!**

The bright circle was high in the sky. The silvery swimmers glided through the winding streams of water, almost resembling bits of snow in a turbulent storm. The lush and green forest was home to all kinds of life — big and small.

Sana was beginning to tire of her mate's arrogance. "Andras," she said, her vibrant green eyes narrowing. "You're being completely unreasonable."

Andras felt his body stiffen as his eggplant purple color brightened, blood flushing into the huge sail on his back as a result of his anger.

"Me? Unreasonable? Oh, I'm sorry, Sana. I didn't know that not wanting to send our daughter, a sharptooth, to a place filled with a bunch of leaf eaters, who could possibly hurt her because they're so big, was _unreasonable_."

"We're doing it for her own good, to keep her safe." Sana had to use every ounce of willpower to keep from yelling. "Red Claw rules the mysterious beyond now. It's too dangerous. It's hard having to go out to hunt for food, being plagued with the fear that our daughter might be dead. It's just not safe," Sana reasoned.

As much as he loathed to admit it, she made several valid points. Every time the pair went hunting, Andras always so desperately wished to rush back in an instant to make sure his daughter was safe.

"But what if they try to chase her out? What do we do then?"

"She can hide," suggested Sana. "She knows how to hide."

"Still...Sana, she's so young. I'm not ready to let her go yet..."

Sana sighed, gently pushing her snout against that of her mate's. "We're not letting her go, Andras. We'll get her back. But for now, this is what we'll have to do."

 _"She's right, Andras."_ A voice intervened, preventing a possible escalation of the argument. The voice belonged to an olive green sharptooth with piercing red eyes. She appeared menacing, but her eyes were kind and understanding, with the wisdom of many years.

"Rana?" The two other sharpteeth questioned at the same time, a bit embarrassed that they had been caught in such a situation by their acquaintances.

"Taran and I sent our son to the Great Valley, and he's perfectly safe there." Rana said.

"You sent Chomper to the Great Valley? Wow, I wonder what the leaf eaters did when they saw a sharptooth in their beloved valley." There was a mocking tone in Andras's retort.

"He made friends with some of their little ones, actually."

"What?" Andras was in disbelief. " _How_?"

"Really? Maybe the same thing could happen to Eva. She's a really sweet girl." Sana smiled kindly before switching her attention to her mate. "So, what do you say? Are you okay with her going to the Great Valley _now_?"

Andras was quite honestly dreading the question. He winced for a moment before answering. "...Yes. I suppose I am."

As if to break the silence, Taran stomped over. "Rana," he growled, "you said you were coming a while ago."

Rana shook her head, the smallest of smiles on her face. "Alright, I'm coming." She turned to the pair of sailback sharpteeth. "Good night, you two." With that, she disappeared into the darkness of the trees.

"This will never work," Andras growled.

"Oh, sweetheart." Sana purred and nudged his chin. "You need to have a _little_ hope."

Andras gratefully sunk in, returning the gesture, although his stance on the situation remained the same. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Swallow your pride, Andras. We're doing it, and that's final."

Andras growled angrily, cursing under his breath as he stomped away.

" _Mama! Papa!"_

Sana glanced once more at Andras before tending to her daughter. She bent down to nuzzle the light purple sharptooth, purring happily. As she embraced her, Sana picked up an unmistakable scent.

"You smell like fish. Did you...?"

Eva gave a proud nod, sea green eyes gleaming with an innocence that only came with youth.

"I caught my first fish today! And I did it exactly how you showed me!"

Sana licked her daughter's cheek. "Oh darling, I'm so proud of you. I knew you'd get the hang of it eventually." She lifted her head, and called out to her husband. "Andras! Come here."

Andras stomped over, offering a questioning grunt.

"Eva caught her first fish today," said Sana. "I told you she'd be a natural."

Andras' mouth curved into a smile as he lowered his head. "Did you?"

"I did!" Eva replied with the utmost enthusiasm.

"Well, I'm very proud." He pressed his snout against hers and Sana's, whose eyes met his. As they held each other's gaze, they both knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"I'm going to miss this," Andras murmured.

Sana concurred with a nod. "I know. So am I."

Eva looked at her parents, blissfully unaware of their plight. However, she was beginning to get suspicious.

"You know we have to tell her sooner or later," Sana said in a soft voice.

"I know."

Eva looked to her mother, then to her father. "Tell me what?"

"You tell her," urged Andras. "You're better at this type of thing."

Sana nodded. "Eva?"

"Yes, mom?"

"We have something we need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Well...how should I put this? We might not be going fishing together for a while."

"Why not?"

"Because," Sana winced. "We're sending you to the Great Valley."

Eva tilted her head in curiosity. "The Great Valley...?"

"Yes. We hear it's a wonderful place. There's lots of water for you to drink, and lots of fish to catch."

"But there's water and fish to catch here, too. Why do I need to go?"

"Because of Red Claw," growled Andras. "It's not safe for you here, understand?"

"Andras," scolded Sana. "Please, calm down."

Andras sighed. "Eva, listen. Your mother and I...we will be fine. We know how to defend ourselves against that brute. You do not. It's only in your best interest that you go."

"But I don't want to go," protested Eva. "I want to stay here with you and mom."

"I know you do, sweetheart. But it's not safe. With Red Claw around, it's only a matter of when he catches your mother and I."

Sana added on. "If you are in the Great Valley, it would make your father and I feel better because we know you're safe. We know that Red Claw can't get to you, and we can rest easy. Do you understand?"

Eva stared at the ground for a moment before nodding. "I think so. But mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Can we go on one more fishing trip?"

Sana would have loved to take their daughter on a final fishing trip, but she wasn't certain if her mate would approve. When she met his eyes, he gave a grunt of approval.

"Of course we can."

With that, the family of sharpteeth headed towards the lake for one final hunt together.

When the bright circle rose the following morning, Andras lifted Eva onto his head and joined his wife on their journey to the Great Valley. They'd gotten instructions from Chomper's parents on how to reach there, and bided their time until they did.

Andras made bad jokes to pass the time, while Sana recited to her daughter stories of her and her husband. Soon, they were approaching the Great Wall.

"This is as far as we can go," announced Sana.

Andras lowered his head and helped Eva to the ground. He didn't raise his head again for almost a minute.

Eva looked to the magnificent and formidable wall of rocks, and then back at her parents.

"I'm going to miss you," she whimpered.

Sana and Andras both reached down to her level, embracing her and drying away her tears.

"We'll miss you too," said Sana. "More than you'll ever know."

"You be careful," Andras warned gently. "Try to make friends if you can, but don't let any adults catch you."

"Yes, dad."

"I'll miss you, darling." He nuzzled her, shedding his own tears.

"Take care of mom, okay?"

Andras' eyes fluttered open, moist and dampened. "Of course," he said with a smile. "You go on now. Go." He nudged her forward.

Slowly, Eva began to depart from the only form of love she'd ever known. She let out a few farewell squeaks, and then never looked back.

Sana and Andras watched her grow farther and farther away from them, their hearts heavy. Sending her away was the hardest thing they'd ever done, and they could only hope that it would prove to be the right decision.


	21. Chapter 21: The Vision

**Hi, guys. Here's another chapter! I had fun writing this one, especially with all the humor on the side. Enjoy!**

The tree sweets were in bloom. Just beyond a tree slowly losing it's tree stars, just past a small hill, underneath a large tree with long, shaggy leaves, Amelia rested peacefully. Tristan sat beside her, occasionally flaring his nostrils when his ears picked up an unfamiliar sound, which more often than not turned out to be some kind of buzzer. He'd yet to get used to not always being on edge, or not constantly being on the lookout for danger.

In the warmth of the sunset, red and orange with clouds, Amelia lazily opened one eye. "Tristan?"

Tristan lowered his head down to her level. "Yes?"

"Have you seen the girls?"

"They're probably off somewhere with their friends," theorized Tristan. "Nothing to worry about."

Amelia let out a yawn. "Who said I was worried?"

"You're always worried."

" _You're_ one to talk."

Tristan didn't have a clever response this time, and simply rested his head on hers. "Hush up."

Out in the open grass, Miriam and Mackenzie scavenged for food. Miriam did not have the same harassed look as her sister, and nonchalantly scanned her surroundings for some tree stars. Mackenzie was less at ease. She was hunched over slightly, her wide eyes staring as she raised and turned her head. Her nose moved constantly, and when a buzzer landed on it, she jumped backwards suddenly as she startled.

Miriam turned when she heard a loud thud against the grass. She looked to see her sister slowly rising to her feet, her eyes as wide as the bright circle.

"What's the matter with you? You've never been so jumpy."

Mackenzie walked closer to Miriam, looking behind her one last time. "I don't know. I just feel like something really bad is going to happen."

Miriam looked at her strangely. "Today?"

"No...not today. But at some point in time, something bad will happen."

"That's obvious. Things can't be all good all the time."

Mackenzie sighed. "You're right. It's probably nothing. Come on, let's go home."

As they headed home, they passed the tree sweet tree — a stumpy tree covered from head to toe in soggy green moss. On it's branches grew the sweet smelling tree sweets, as pink as the clouds were when the bright circle began to set.

The two dinosaurs exchanged glances, both of them knowing exactly what the other was thinking. They ran down the culvert, and to the tree. There was a faint breeze which pulled one of the tree sweets from it's leaves, allowing it to drift and gravitate towards the ground.

Just as Miriam took a step forward, a larger dinosaur put their foot forward, smashing the delicate tree sweet.

"A tree sweet?" Said the dinosaur. "You rainbow faces will have to wait until Nibbling Day to have some, just like everyone else." When Miriam hesitated, the dinosaur stared her down. "You _heard_ me, didn't you?"

"The tree sweet fell from the tree, Mr. Threehorn," explained Mackenzie.

"Bah! I know how conniving your kind can be. You'd better get out of here before I _make_ you get out."

Miriam had already turned away, and Mackenzie caught up with her by the culvert.

"I'm sick and tired of it," Mackenzie said. "It's always the same. 'These are my teeth, so these are my tree stars'. And we can't even say anything about it because they're older than us."

"Well," began Miriam, "it only seems fair that we wait until Nibbling Day…whenever that is."

"I know, but he didn't have to be so rude."

Miriam nodded. "Come on."

As they continued on towards home, Mackenzie paused to gaze out towards the horizon. The sky was so red, it almost looked like blood. The trees were bare of their leaves, the branches resembling sharp claws which tore through the skies. Mackenzie tensed, her jade eyes drifting towards a chasm in the earth, the exposed rock within the ground creating the shape of wide, red gashes.

"Mackenzie?"

Even when her sister's voice snapped her out of her trance, the picture was still vivid in Mackenzie's mind. She looked up at Miriam, her eyes still wide.

"What's the matter with you? If you don't say something that makes sense right now, I'm telling mom."

Mackenzie shook her head, blinking a few times. "I'm fine. I'm good, just stop worrying...or you might relapse." She pranced ahead of her sister, a pleased smirk on her face.

Miriam was now the one who was wide eyed. She frowned, running to catch up with Mackenzie. "Come here so I can beat you up!"

Mackenzie leaped forward. "You can barely keep up with me, how exactly do you plan to fight me?"

"I'm telling mom!"

"She'd laugh."

"Then I'll tell dad."

"He'd laugh too. Looks like you're the only one in the family without a sense of humor."

"I hope you fall in a ditch."

Mackenzie snorted. "At least if I fell in one, I'd be able to get out on my own."

Miriam narrowed her eyes and lunged for Mackenzie, who made a run for it. They ran across the valley, the bright circle illuminating their surroundings, turning everything a gleaming gold.

The two rainbow faces came to a screeching halt in front of their parents, who'd just emerged from their cave.

"Mom!" Miriam exclaimed, "Mackenzie made fun of me!"

Amelia looked amused, yet unimpressed. "What did she say?"

"I told her to stop worrying or she might relapse," explained Mackenzie.

The corners of Amelia's mouth curved into a smile as she made a futile attempt to stifle her laughter. She brought a hand to her mouth as her sea blue eyes twinkled with a childlike innocence. Then, she made eye contact with Tristan, who also seemed to be struggling to withhold his giggles.

"Mackenzie," he said through his chuckles, "Please don't say that, dear."

"You guys are laughing too!" Miriam cried out. "I hate all of you!" She angrily stormed off, disappearing behind a nearby bush.

While still laughing, Amelia lightly slapped Tristan on the shoulder. "You're no help. I'll go talk to her."

Amelia walked over the bush and planted herself right beside her daughter. She took a few deep breaths and composed herself.

"We're sorry for laughing, dear. We really are."

"No, you're not."

"Alright. Maybe not. But there's nothing wrong with making jokes."

"But how can you make a joke about this...?"

"Your father and I made jokes over many things, including death. We still sometimes joke about how our friend Diana would do this, or how she would hate Mr. Threehorn's guts. It's just how we cope." Amelia paused for a moment. "And I know your sister worries about you. Making jokes is just her way of dealing with things."

Miriam took it all in, finding that the theory actually did make sense. Apparently, her method of coping was simply different.

After Miriam had been consoled, the family went inside to retire for the night.

In the darkness and warmth of the cave, Amelia awoke suddenly, struggling and kicking. Something was attacking her, but she smelt no danger. After she'd cleared her head, she realized that it was Mackenzie who was clambering over her, clawing and grabbing at her mother.

"Mackenzie! Wake up, Mackenzie! Ow! It—It's me! Calm down, will you?"

Tristan was awoken by the ruckus, and opened his eyes to see his daughter climbing over his wife like a mountain. He held back his laughter and gently nudged Mackenzie awake. He held her down, and soon, she stirred.

"Mom? I had the worst sleep story — you were there. You got really, really sick. I was all alone—"

Amelia gently touched her snout to Mackenzie's. "Shh...it's alright. It was just a sleep story."

"But you were so ill! It felt so real!"

"But I'm not sick, am I? Apart from my sides being a bit sore and bruised from you climbing over me like a log, everything's alright, I promise. Can we go back to sleep now?"

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, dear. Don't fret. Go to sleep now."

Mackenzie rested her head, scooting closer to her mother. When Amelia lowered hers, Tristan spoke in a hushed voice to her.

"Amelia."

"What?"

"It's a bit strange that Mackenzie had a sleep story about you falling ill…are you feeling alright?"

"I feel fine, Tristan. It was just a sleep story, and it doesn't mean anything."

"Are you sure?"

Amelia scrunched her nose. "What do you mean? Of course I'm sure. You know that I believe that sleep stories rarely ever become reality."

"I mean..."

"And even if I do get sick, there's nothing anyone can do."

"Well—"

"Tristan, why don't you stop trying to counter everything I say and actually _agree_ with me for once?"

"Because that would be feeding into your pride."

"Says the one with an ego bigger than the bright circle."

"I don't have an ego."

"You saying that you don't have an ego creates the ego you think you don't have."

Tristan raised a brow in pure bewilderment. "...What?"

Amelia shook her head, wearing a ghost of a snide smile on her face. "Good night, Tristan."


	22. Chapter 22: Trust and Adjust

**Hey, guys! I hope you guys are having a good week. I know I'm a bit slow with updates, but I'm slowly getting more and more done for this story. (I also finally figured out how to do the little line break thing haha) Anyway, this chapter focuses on the sharpteeth, and also features Littlefoot and his friends! Enjoy!**

* * *

It was sometime after the great circle rose that Eva arrived in the Great Valley. She kept to the shade of the tall trees and tall grass, careful not to be seen. She slipped quietly across the grass, on the tips of her toes.

As she approached the more populated areas of the valley, Eva picked up speed. She darted across the grass, hiding in a nearby bush or patch of tall grass. She would determine if the coast was clear, and then, she would make a run for it.

At some point in her trek, she was approached by a baby longneck. This longneck couldn't have been more than a few weeks old, and looked deliciously appetizing. But Eva remembered that if she wanted to stay here, she'd have to avoid making a meal out of any of the residents. So, she ignored the little hatchling, and continued on her way.

The pointy seed rolled across several tufts of grass, while a small adolescent dinosaur — a tiny bluish grey sharptooth with huge red eyes — ran after it.

"I got it, I got it!"

The seed toppled into a nearby pond, floating in the shallow, green water. Eva, wading in the water, watched curiously as the seed drifted near her. The other tiny sharptooth ran towards her, and picked up the seed. Then, they suddenly made eye contact.

The blue sharptooth squinted, trying to get a closer look. When he noticed her sharp teeth, he let out a gasp, his mouth curving into a smile.

Eva gasped softly, leaning in slightly as she lowered her tail.

"Chomper! Where are you?"

A light orange threehorn came into view, her mouth curved into a tight frown. When she noticed Eva, her mouth formed a perfect circle.

Chomper looked at his friend, grinning. "Cera, look! Another sharptooth!"

Cera's eyes widened. "Another what?"

The rest of their friends came over, having varied reactions to their new guest. The tiny flyer hid behind a duck billed swimmer and her spiketail brother, his teeth chattering.

"S-Sh-Sharptooth...?"

The runner seemed delightfully surprised, as did the longneck standing beside her.

"Hi," said the longneck. "What's your name?"

" _Littlefoot_ ," scolded Cera, "Don't say hi to the sharptooth."

"Why not? She's not going to hurt us."

"You don't know that."

Frankly, Eva didn't understand why they were speaking in such hushed tones, especially when they were standing less than a few feet in front of her.

"You don't need to whisper," she said flatly. "I can hear you."

Littlefoot and Cera seemed highly impressed. "How come you know how to speak plant eater language?" He asked.

"A rainbow face taught me," explained Eva. "It's really not that hard."

"Yeah," said Cera. "That's because you're a baby."

"If _I'm_ a baby, then that makes you guys babies too."

Littlefoot snickered, shooting a glance towards Cera, who looked rather offended.

"Anyway...you never told us your name."

"Eva."

"That is a pretty name," said Ruby, "A pretty name that is."

Cera's hostility did not diminish. "If you're a sharptooth, why are you _here_ in the valley?"

Eva was hardly bothered, but she still snapped at the threehorn. She definitely had a bit of her father in her.

"I'm here because my parents sent me here. If you would let me explain myself, you would know. They're on the run from Red Claw."

Chomper gasped very audibly. "You're running from Red Claw too?"

Eva nodded. "Why, are you?"

"Yep!"

"Chomper's parents are running from Red Claw just like your parents are running from Red Claw," explained Ruby, stepping forward.

"Still," protested Cera, "You can't just show up here all willy-nilly. What are the grown ups gonna say?"

"Who says they have to know?" Chomper suggested.

Cera groaned. "Okay. Even then, where is she gonna stay?"

"The valley's pretty big," said Littlefoot, "I'm sure we can find some place."

"She can stay with me and Ruby!" Chomper exclaimed suddenly, as if having an epiphany.

Eva averted her gaze. "I don't know...perhaps I should just go back—"

"Why would you go back?"

"I'm a sharptooth, living with leaf eaters. That's not the way it's supposed to be."

"You know," began Littlefoot, "My mom said the same thing. She told me that threehorns were never supposed to play with longnecks. But look at us now."

"Did she ever get mad at you for playing with other dinosaurs?"

"Well...I don't know. She never got to meet any of my other friends. But I don't think she would have had a problem with it. My grandma and grandpa sure don't."

Chomper eagerly waited for her answer. "So...?"

Eva held her silence for a moment before sighing. "I guess so. At least I won't go hungry."

The flyer, who had hardly uttered a word, spoke up again. "W-W-What that suppose to mean?"

"Don't be so scared, Petrie," said Littlefoot. "I don't think she wants to eat you."

"Yeah," added the duckbilled swimmer. "I do not think you would taste very good. Besides, Eva looks like a nice sharptooth. She does, she does!"

Eva offered a tired smile. "Thanks."

"So," resumed Chomper. "Do you want Ruby and I to show you where we live? I think you'll like it. You can trust us, can't you?"

Eva sighed. She wasn't at all enthusiastic about this, but she'd have to adjust. She offered a kind smile.

"Sure."

* * *

Night fell over the mysterious beyond. The sky was draped in darkness, the stars resembling small holes of light. Andras lay in his forest home, amongst the leaves of green and teal, cover d in rounded dewdrops. As he looked up, he noticed that the sky looked the exact same way it did not the night that he and Sana made the decision that changed both of their lives. Whether or not it was for the better was a question left unanswered.

... It was hot in the desert. The land, covered in red sand dunes, was difficult to tread through. There was little food, and even less water. Andras didn't know who in their right mind would want to live in a place like this. Still, his mate trusted that they were making the right choice. Andras wasn't so sure.

He recognized the familiar sound of feet shuffling through the sand, and turned around to find Sana trudging slowly towards him. At last, she finally caught up with him.

"I don't understand the point in this, Sana," he growled. "It's hot, there's no food, and it's damn near impossible to walk in this!"

Sana was mild mannered, but her calm often times hid a ravaging storm. She let out a sigh, her tail swaying in a whip-like motion. "I know, Andras. I hate it too."

"Then we should leave."

"I've told you, leaving is not an option for me."

"Why isn't it?"

"Red Claw is the most powerful sharptooth in the mysterious beyond. As long as we're on his side, he'll defend us. We're safe as long as we're with him. I don't like him very much either, believe me, but we don't exactly have options."

"Yes, we do. Sana, just listen to me—"

"I will _not_ repeat myself," she said in a calm and mellow voice, in a tone that suggested there would be nothing more to the conversation.

Andras inhaled sharply. He loved her, but she was stubborn — more stubborn than he, sometimes.

Sana began walking ahead of him, ambling through the sand. Andras gave a huff, and briefly followed suit.

They met up with the rest of their small pack in a rocky area surrounded by cliffs, finally making it out of the desert. Nearby a small watering hole, Taran and Rana were resting. Sana and Andras walked over, finally relieving their aching joints.

Rana looked up, her blazing red eyes softening. She knew those hopeless, tired faces. "Did you guys find anything?"

Sana shook her head as she sat down next to her friend. "No, nothing."

"There's nothing _to_ find out there," added Andras. "Nothing ever grows out there, and any meat there is has already been reduced to bones."

Rana sighed. She looked just as tired as the rest of them. "Red Claw won't be happy..."

"He's _never_ happy," remarked Sana.

Andras snorted. In the midst of all this, it was nice to share a laugh once in a while.

Just when the atmosphere began to lighten, the ground rumbled beneath them. Moments later, there was a roar — a roar that struck fear and terror into the hearts of even the fiercest sharpteeth. It even made Andras flinch.

Red Claw came into view, his single red eye — redder than the molten rock that spewed from the fiery mountains — standing out like a sore toe. A huge gash ran through his eye, all the way down to his right claw, hence his name. An apt title for a creature with such a mean streak.

The beast stepped forward, sniffing the dry desert air for a moment before looking down at his rather small group of followers.

"Well? Are you pathetic sacks of meat going to tell me what you found or are you just going to strand there?"

The two fast biters standing at his feet let out quiet snickers.

"You two didn't find anything either, so I wouldn't be acting so smug," said Red Claw.

"I'm afraid we didn't find anything," explained Sana.

"Didn't find anything? You're clearly not looking hard enough."

"We've been searching all day. With all due respect, I think we should find someplace else to hunt."

There was the slightest hint of a smile on Andras' face. He was beyond glad that somone was standing up to Red Claw, and he couldn't be more proud that it was his mate doing so.

"Move somewhere else?" Red Claw snorted. "Why would we do that? We live in an open area, and our prey can be easily spotted."

"Normally I would agree, but...there is nothing here. Otherwise, I'm sure we would have found _something_."

"You know, I liked you at first, Sana. But now, I'm beginning to doubt myself."

"I'm beginning to doubt you too," Sana said unwarily. It wasn't until that the words slipped out of her mouth that she realized what exactly she'd said and the way she'd said it.

Taran nearly laughed aloud before Rana whipped him on the back with her tail while trying to hold back her own laughter.

Red Claw suddenly stepped forward, prompting Sana to reflexively raise her tail in defense.

"Don't be so frightened, Sana," he sneered. "You're not _that_ afraid of me, are you?"

Sana didn't answer. She stepped back, keeping her tail raised.

"We are not leaving. If you don't like it, you can leave and starve in the desert. I won't stop you."

"...That won't be necessary. I-I'll stay."

Red Claw's tail lightly brushed against her chin. "That's more like it."

With that, he stepped away, disappearing behind the rocks, his duo of lackeys hobbling at his feet.

Sana sat back down as she relaxed her tail, looking down at the callous earth in dismay. Andras walked up to her, nuzzling her chin.

"Thank you for trying."

Sana sighed, not looking him in the eye. "But it's not enough, is it?"

She walked away without giving Andras a chance to answer, the sun beating down on her aching back.

The desert was cooler at night. Sana and Rana peered up at the starry night sky while their respective mates slept peacefully a few feet away. Rana eyed her friend, whose attention seemed to be wandering.

"Have you told him yet?"

"No," Sana said with a sigh. "It just never seems like the right time."

"Sana," she scolded, "You'll have to tell him sooner or later. It's kind of hard to hide an egg, let alone a hatchling."

"I know, but..."

"But what?"

"Andras might not like it. I mean, he finds kids obnoxious and annoying."

"Yes, but this would be his child. It's different." A brief pause. "You trust him, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I trust him with my life. It's just...I've never raised a child before. Neither has he. I fear we're not quite ready."

Rana chuckled. "I believe every parent feels that way. But once the little ones arrive, everything just...falls into place. And everything will."

Andras had heard every word. From Rana gently scolding Sana, to Sana confiding that she was afraid to tell him. He was absolutely ecstatic to hear that he would be a father — but he was upset that Sana felt that she couldn't share the news with him. He didn't blame her. With his brash and arrogant personality, he wasn't the first one someone would go to with an important secret.

However, he would lead her on. He would let her believe that he didn't know, all while subtly hinting that he did know. And when she was ready, she would hopefully feel confident enough to tell him.

The next morning, they were out scavenging for food. Andras walked two steps ahead of her, sniffing the ground not only for meat, but for anything that could prove to be potentially harmful. Soon, they came across a dead flyer. The poor creature's wing had been injured, leaving him stranded in the desert.

"There's not enough for the both of us," Sana whispered.

"You can have it," said Andras.

"What? What about you?"

"I'll be fine. You need it more than I do."

"Andras, I don't want you to starve!"

"Just eat it," he growled. "Please. Eat."

Sana was reluctant at first, but once she dug her teeth into the carcass, she couldn't stop. Andras was glad that she no longer had to go hungry. He wished he could have had some, but if there weren't enough to go around, he'd gladly make a sacrifice and allow her to eat instead of him.

Over the course of the next few days, Andras looked after her. He put her first before everyone else, including himself. It soon became clear to Sana that he, on some level, knew her secret. And he knew that she knew. There was no need for them to tell each other, for when they looked into each other's eyes, they could see that unmistakeable look that every expecting parent had.

One day, while Sana was resting with Andras by her side, Red Claw approached the pair. He was no fool — he knew what was going on between them. He'd gone through the entire process before. As he edged closer, he spotted Sana cautiously wrapping her tail around her abdomen, as if shielding herself from him.

"Exactly how stupid do you think I am? I know perfectly well what you two are hiding."

Sana and Andras glanced at each other, holding their silence.

"You two are expecting — which is always good news. Ever since the passing of my son, I've longed to have someone I could mentor. To have as a successor."

Sana had originally resolved to keep quiet, but in her panic, she cried out. "I'm not letting you anywhere near her!"

" _Her_?" Red Claw seemed wryly amused. "Well, no matter. Boy or girl, they'll still be coming with me as soon as they are old enough."

"We're not letting you turn our child into a monster like you! Just because you've lost your entire family—"

Red Claw struck her with his tail before she could finish, something strange having overtook him. The blow was strong enough to cause her to stumble and fall.

Andras felt anger bubbling inside of him. He bit Red Claw's tail out of pure impulsiveness and an instinct to protect.

Red Claw roared in pain, narrowing his eyes at Andras. The two dinosaurs broke out into a fight, clawing at each other. Red Claw rammed his body against Andras', sending him into the wall of a large cliff.

Dazed, Andras took some time to recover and wasn't able to immediately fight back. Red Claw made a mad dash for him, until Sana suddenly leaped onto his back, digging her sharp teeth into his flesh.

Andras looked up at the large shadow of the dinosaurs engaged in combat. He was less worried about the grotesqueness of the scene before him, and more worried about his mate.

"Sana!"

Red Claw screeched in pain, flinging Sana off of his back before taking a bite out of the large sail on her back. Then, he called for his two lackeys.

Sana was relentless. She took several jabs at his throat, her eyes turning into narrow slits. Then, she hopped on top of a pile of rocks. Nearby, she could see Rana and Taran. Sana roared at them, asking for their help.

Rana didn't hesitate for a moment. Her fiery red eyes glowed with determination, she snarled as she hurried over to Sana's side. Taran followed her.

When Red Claw approached them, Rana quickly tripped him with her tail while Taran whacked him with his. The very moment that Red Claw got back on his feet, Sana jumped from the rocks and rammed into him. She forcibly pushed him into another large cliff, the sheer impact of his body making contact with the earth causing the rocks to tumble down on top of him.

Due to the amount of blows he received, Red Claw wasn't able to recover fast enough to do any significant damage. He let out a weak roar, practically a roar of defeat.

Sana aggressively let out a screech of triumph, and then an angry snort.

"I'm not afraid of you, Red Claw. Not anymore."

"Fine, leave, if you wish," snarled Red Claw. "But this isn't over."

With that, he turned tail, his fast biter henchmen trailing as his feet.

Sana watched him leave, her pupils widening. She waited until Red Claw was out of sight before rushing to help Andras. She gently licked his wounds, nuzzling him.

Andras opened his eyes and smiled at her. "You're going to be an amazing mother."

Not long after, they left the desert, along with Rana and Taran. It took some time to adjust to living in the forest, but once they had, there was no trouble. They had their daughter there, and Rana and Taran hatched Chomper there as well.

... Andras felt nostalgic, but it was a happy sort of nostalgia. He knew then that they had made the right choice. They had struggled, and they had suffered, but in the end, they still had each other. He looked over at Sana, who had her head in a nearby lake.

"Sana?"

Sana nearly caught a fish, but it managed to evade her powerful jaws. Giving up, she pulled her head out of the water. "Yes?"

"Do you...do you remember the day we left the desert?"

"Yeah...I think so. Why?"

"I was just remembering that day. And you know how I said you would be an amazing mother?"

"Of course I do."

"Well...I was right. If Eva is anything like you, she'll grow up to be the strongest of them all."

Sana turned to look at her husband, smiling gratefully. She walked over and sat beside him.

"...I miss her."

Andras rested his head on hers. "I know. I do too. But we can adjust. We've been doing it our whole lives."

"I hope she'll be able to adjust without us."

"She will. Trust me. You trust me, don't you?"

"With my life," said Sana, smiling to herself.


	23. Chapter 23: The Heart

**Hey, everyone. This update is a little early, but this chapter is also really short. Not much happens, but it is important to read. I hope you guys enjoy, and I'll see you when I update next time, which should hopefully be very soon!**

* * *

The glowing crimson crack in the earth acted like a small fire, providing a sense of warmth as the children listened to a nighttime story. Unlike most nights, Kenneth would not be the story teller for tonight, although he and his wife sat close by and listened to Amelia recite a story common in rainbow face herds.

"Long, long ago, the Great Valley was created. The creators made it so fertile by scattering water from the sky all over the land, at least a few times every year. This is why even though the valley has experienced it's times of famine, it always bounces back again."

"Who are the creators?" Asked Littlefoot.

"No one knows," answered Amelia. "No one's ever seen them in person before. They're actually just the forces that created our world, but we call them creators."

"Yeah, but—"

Cera shushed him before he could finish his sentence.

"At first," continued Amelia, "they made the first creatures, and they made them the same. As time went on, they developed and grew to adjust to their environment. And after a time, the first land walkers stumbled upon this wondrous place. And they weren't the dinosaurs. We came later on. And despite how much green food we have here, we weren't always safe from danger."

Tristan listened to her speak, more focused on her captivating manner of storytelling and the way her eyes seemed to glow warmly because of the light, rather than the actual story itself.

"Just like we have sharpteeth, those creatures had other predators that killed and ate them. For many days and nights, it seemed hopeless. It seemed that they would be doomed to their overlords for all time. But they found a tool. The heart of the Great Valley."

"What's the heart of the Great Valley?" Asked Chomper.

"I'm getting there," said Amelia. "The heart of the Great Valley helped them in difficult times, in times when it seemed there was no hope. And because of this, the valley prospered for years to come, and still prospers today."

* * *

As Amelia ended, she was met with curious stares that asked so many questions.

"So," began Cera, "what _is_ the heart of the Great Valley?"

"That's up to you to decide."

"Does it exist?" Ruby inquired, tapping her chin. "Or does it _not_ exist?"

"I think it does," Amelia said in response. "Although, I think there's more to it than meets the eye."

"What that mean?" Questioned Petrie.

Kenneth let out a chuckle, having witnessed it all. "That means it's not what it seems," he clarified for the young ones. "You'll have to look closely to understand it."

Littlefoot got up, staring into his grandfather's eyes. "Is the heart real, Grandpa?"

"Well, Littlefoot, I've never heard of it. But it does make quite the story, doesn't it?"

"I guess so."

"Besides," he continued, "Different herds have different stories, and different beliefs."

"And it is quite nice to think that perhaps, we have something here in the valley to help us through dark times," Linda added.

This seemed to make Littlefoot slightly more upbeat. He lifted his neck, swaying his tail from side to side. "Yeah, it is."

As the conversation simmered down, Tristan rose. The warm light from underneath the ground illuminated his face with a glow a color akin to that of his eyes.

"That's enough story time," he said with finality. "Amelia and I must be going home now to get some rest. Goodness knows we won't get any once the children are awake."

"Tristan, it's a bit early—"

"I know," whispered Tristan, his face inches away from hers. "The children won't be home until we call them. We have some down time."

Amelia immediately caught on. "Oh, alright."

The two rainbow faces set off, their snouts touching as they walked towards home.

"Bye, you two," said Linda. "Have a nice night!"

"You too," called Amelia. "Goodnight!"

The children watched them leave until they were out of their line of sight.

Cera raised a brow. "How do they _not_ get sick of each other?"

"That's called love, children," said Linda. "I've been with Grandpa Longneck for as long as I can remember, and I can never have enough of him." She turned to nuzzle her mate, who rested his head on hers in return to the affectionate gesture.

After some time, Linda pulled away. "Anyway, you should all be in the nest by now. It's time for sleep."

"Come on, Littlefoot," urged Kenneth, slowly and steadily rising to his feet, towering above everyone.

"Bye guys," the young longneck said to his friends before following his grandparents.

His friends returned his goodbyes, dispersing and returning to their respective homes.

As Littlefoot walked home, he continued to mull over the story. He didn't know if the heart was real or not, but it was rather comforting to think that the residents had something to turn to in times of darkness, as his grandmother had said. Perhaps, one day, he and his friends could set out to find out if it was real. That would be a remarkable adventure.


	24. Chapter 24: See You Tomorrow

**Hey, everyone! Here's another chapter with some more flyers, which introduces a very important character. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Sweetie, would you stay still?" Esperanza was at her wit's end trying to scoop the mud off the little flyer, who simply wouldn't remain put.

"Mind your mother, Faye." Aidan chided gently, swooping down and coming to Esperanza's rescue.

"But daddy," the young flyer pouted, "What's the point of getting myself clean if I'm only going to get dirty again?"

"Excellent point," replied Aidan. "What's the point of eating if you're just going to get hungry again?"

Faye went silent. "...Fine." She huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

Esperanza smiled at her husband. "Thank you, dear."

"Anything for you," he cooed, wrapping his forewings around her body and gently brushing his beak against hers.

"Gross...I'm going to take an actual bath now," Faye cringed, disgusted at the mushiness before her. She flew off, not wanting to remain there a second longer.

The other young flyers seemed to be getting along swimmingly, leaving Esperanza and Aidan with little to do.

Aidan grabbed his wife by the hand and flew her over to an isolated ledge by the big body of water in the center of their home, shielded from the sun by another outstretched ledge. He and Esperanza became lost in each other's eyes as Aidan gently pinned her down.

"Do you hear that?" He asked, a sly smile on his face.

"Peace and quiet?"

"Mhmm." He nodded, a dreamy expression crossing over his features. "Esperanza, we've been together a long time. And we've never had hatchlings of our own."

"You're not saying...?"

"I am." Aidan leaned in a bit closer. "Unless...you're not in the mood, which is completely fine—"

"Aidan." Esperanza's calm voice kept him from rambling on. "Trust me. After this long, I'm in the mood."

" _What are you guys doing?_ "

Aidan dropped the leaf, and the two flyers immediately separated. Their visitors were none other than Littlefoot and his friends.

"A little more warning next time?" Aidan did not bother to hide his displeasure.

"If you'd been paying attention, you wouldn't need a warning," added Cera. "What were you doing anyway? Having a moment?"

Esperanza and Aidan exchanged glances, silently and unashamedly nodded their heads.

"We finally had some alone time, and we just wanted to spend some time together," explained Esperanza.

"Aww," cooed Ruby."That's so romantic."

"I think it's gross," said Cera, disgusted.

"You guys must really love each other," said Littlefoot.

"We do," said Esperanza, "We go way back."

Littlefoot gasped. "Can you tell us a story?"

"A story?" Esperanza gave the little ones a funny sort of look. "What about?"

"About you guys," chirped Ruby. "Like...how did you guys know that you guys were right for each other?"

Esperanza and Aidan both pondered on it, and then, their eyes met with a knowing glow.

"Oh, I remember it like it was yesterday," began Esperanza. "It actually started out with us being friends, and we weren't much older than you kids."

The smaller dinosaurs listened with open ears as Esperanza told the story of when her relationship with Aidan first blossomed.

* * *

"Enzo, _please_ let me go," a younger Esperanza begged her brother. "I'm tired of being cooped up here, and all alone..."

"I know," said Enzo. "Don't worry, I'll be back shortly. I'll bring you something to eat."

"I'm more than capable of getting it myself," spat Esperanza.

"I know you are. But I don't want that goon Orri to approach you, and I know he will. He has eyes in the back of his head."

Esperanza understood her brother was only looking out for her, and had nothing but her best interest at heart, but she was beginning to suffocate under his tight grip.

Enzo affectionately gripped the crest on her chin, a slightly darker shade of mauve than his own.

"Call me if you're in trouble, and I'll be there right away. Okay?"

Esperanza somewhat enjoyed her brother being so protective of her; it made her feel loved and cared for. Still, she was not the type who could live out the rest of her life remaining dormant and still, and never leaving the nest.

When she didn't answer the first time, Enzo spoke again.

"Do you understand?"

"I understand, Enzo. I heard you the first time."

"Then you should respond," he retorted, spreading the dust that had collected on his wings. "I'll be back soon."

Esperanza watched him take off and join the other flyers at the lake below. Fishing was the one thing their new leader hadn't managed to utterly destroy yet, apart from the fact that he often times sent children to gather the small underwater creatures.

Up in another fir tree, two other flyers were watching Esperanza sulk miserably.

"Poor girl," remarked a golden brown flyer with a lighter beak and eyes as brown as the tree bark. "Her brother has her choking under his claws. You should go talk to her, Aidan."

Aidan huffed, keeping his posture straight. "Don't be stupid, Toadflax."

"I'm serious! She looks like she could use some company. This is your chance."

Aidan released the rigidness from his body. "What if I mess it up...?"

"I'm not asking you to confess your love for her," said Toadflax. "I'm just saying you should talk to her, be the friend she needs right now."

Aidan turned to his friend, who'd been with him through thick and thin.

Toadflax let out a snort. "How dense can you be? Just make small talk with her! It's not as difficult as you're making it out to be, I assure you."

"What if she doesn't want to talk to me...?"

"She will," assured Toadflax. "I know Esperanza. Her brother's an overbearing prick, but she's not the same way, you know that. She'll appreciate you making the effort. Now, go on."

Aidan still hesitated, refusing to lift his feet from the branch he was perched on.

"Go on, you stick in the mud!" He meant to give Aidan a gentle nudge forwards, but instead ended up pushing him off of the tree.

Aidan flapped his wings desperately, catching his fall. He looked towards Toadflax, who didn't seem the least bit sorry. It seemed that his friend would never let him live peacefully until he made an attempt at conversation with Esperanza.

Aidan slowly and cautiously flew to the tree the female flyer was perched on, flapping his wings to keep airborne.

"Did your brother leave you hanging again?"

"Huh?" Esperanza blinked, looking towards Aidan. She then offered her best smile. "Hey, Aidan. And I'm afraid so. He thinks I can't think for myself."

"I'm sure he doesn't think that," reasoned Aidan. "He just doesn't want you getting hurt."

"I know. It's just...annoying."

Aidan nodded slowly, his eyes drifting towards the river below. "Do you want to go fishing?"

"No...not really. I just don't want to stay cooped up in here."

Aidan flew up and perched on the branch beside her. "Well...what do you want to do?"

"...Nothing. I wanted to go down there and have fun earlier, but now, I don't know. I'm tired."

" _So early in the morning_?"

A disembodied voice echoed from the treetops, and a beige colored flyer landed on the branch above them. He was surrounded by an air of shrewdness and scrutiny. His dirt colored eyes looked down upon them in a similar way that the flyer himself looked down on everyone.

Toadflax watched from his spot in the tree branch as Orri landed in front of the pair. He motioned for Aidan to come back to avoid getting into trouble, but Aidan hardly even acknowledged the golden brown flyer.

Esperanza did not bother to hide her disdain. "Get out of here, Orri. Or I'll make you get out."

Orri clicked his tongue. "So rude. Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?"

"My mother's dead. Both of my parents are."

Orri raised a brow and shuffled his wings. "Really? Mine too."

Esperanza groaned in disgust. "Please go away. Or I'll call my brother."

"If you do, I'll tell him what you really think about him."

"There's nothing to tell. I never mean any of what I said. I only say it because I'm angry at him."

"Well, anger is a dangerous water to tread. One slip of the tongue, and you could ruin your relationship with him forever."

"Get out of here," intervened Aidan.

"Hm?" Orri seemed wryly amused that such a lame looking flyer dared to stand up to him. "What was that?"

"I said get out," repeated Aidan. "Nobody here likes you."

"I know some higher ups who would beg to differ."

"I don't care. Esperanza, or any woman for that matter, is not an object for you to play with whenever you feel like it. Either learn to respect others, or get out."

"Hm. You certainly are very bold, I'll give you that." Orri began to spread his wings before looking at the female flyer. "Very well. I'll leave you be for today. See you tomorrow, my dear."

"Call me that again and I'll be eating your arms and legs for dinner." Esperanza snapped at him, barely missing him by an inch. Then, she looked at Aidan.

"You really think that?"

"Think what?"

"That I should be respected?"

Aidan looked at her strangely. "You don't?"

"No, I do, but...everyone in this herd acts like women aren't deserving of any respect."

"Well, you are. No matter what, you always deserve to be respected, and you have the right to tell someone off if they don't respect you. Don't forget that."

Esperanza nodded slightly. "I know. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Aidan choked out.

Esperanza giggled, and held him close. "Feel free to visit me anytime. I can't visit you because...you know."

Aidan's eyes widened slightly, caught a bit off guard. Within moments, he smiled and reciprocated the action. "Yeah. I know."

Enzo's greeting screech sounded through the air, signifying his prompt return. Aidan briefly looked behind him to make sure the coast was clear.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure."

* * *

Esperanza finished her story, feeling warmly nostalgic by the end of it.

"That's it?" Cera asked. "I thought it would be longer and more exciting."

"Well, that was the day we knew that we would never see each other in the same way we once did. We could have made the story longer, but there's a lot to it. We'd be here for days."

"Did you guys see each other the next day?" Littlefoot inquired.

"Mhm," answered Aidan. "And everyday after that."

"That's sweet," said Ruby.

"I have only one question," said Ducky. "Who is Orri?"

"We've told you children about him. He's the flyer that now rules over Ornith Valley."

Recognition flashed across Ducky's face. "Oh! I do not like him. No, no, no."

"Neither do we," remarked Esperanza. "Now...you children should be leaving. Your parents might be wondering where you are."

It took some convincing, but the pair finally managed to get them to leave. It was now dusk, and the Great Valley was settled in warm pink and orange light.

Esperanza yawned, outstretching her arms. "Well," she said slyly, "See you tomorrow."

Aidan knew her and her antics well. He grabbed her by the arm and nuzzled his snout with hers.

"I don't think so," he said, laughing. "Now, come on."

He led her over to a calm waterfall, helping her onto one of the slippery rocks. Taking in the sounds of the buzzers chirping and of the water gently pooling into the lake, the two flyers held each other close in the afterglow of dusk.


	25. Chapter 25: A Life Changed

**Hey, guys. I _finally_ finished this chapter, which I've ben working on for literal _months_. It took forever, but I'm just glad to have gotten it out of the way. I can only hope I've done it justice, and I apologize for the lengthiness. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy, and have a great week!**

* * *

Kyra and Pterano glided through the open skies, overlooking the tall and slender trees that covered the valley. They swooped downwards, skidding across the water.

The two flyers took pride in who they were. It seemed that there was nothing to lose by being a flyer. They had the best of both worlds. Not only could they be agile and light on their feet when on land, they were even more formidable when in the sky, where they felt free.

Kyra landed on a ledge atop a high rock overlooking the rest of the valley, Pterano landing moments after her. He battled against the wind, and almost made a perfect landing when a nearby branch tripped him, sending him tumbling onto the ledge.

Kyra laughed, pointing a finger at him. "A bit rusty, aren't you?"

Pterano stood up, dusting himself off. He hunched his shoulders and scrunched his beak as he imitated her. " _A bit rusty, aren't you_?"

"First of all," Kyra began, "I do not hunch my shoulders over, and I don't even talk like that. Who even is this character?"

"If you say so, dear," Pterano teased, sitting down beside her.

"So...how's Petrie?"

"He's fine," replied Pterano, "He wanted me to play some sort of game with a pointy seed...but as you can see, I've no time for games."

Kyra lifted her head, bringing a hand to her chest. " _Not now, my dear nephew. I'm afraid I've got a whole day of wasting time to get to_."

"Oh, _very_ funny," said Pterano, slowly nodding his head as he placed his hand on his chest. "A flattering impersonation. But I'm not nearly as dramatic as you make me out to be, my dear. When have I ever done that with my hand?"

"You just did!" Kyra cackled, gesturing towards Pterano.

Pterano groaned, sitting back down. "Yes, yes, let's just forget about it now, shall we? Besides, you still have something you need to talk to me about."

Kyra dragged a twig across the dirt, her green eyes briefly looking up at him. "I do?"

Pterano looked at her with wide eyes. "Yes. I told you about what happened to me, and you promised to do the same."

"Oh." The enthusiasm quickly fled from her voice. "You know what happened. I ran away."

"I know that, but I need to know what happened after."

Kyra didn't say anything.

"Kyra." Pterano took both of her hands into his. "If we want to move on from our past, we need to be completely open and honest about it. You know that."

Kyra gave a sigh of finality. She knew that he was right. What she didn't know was why she was so afraid — he already knew the worst of it, which was her running away. Regardless, much time had passed between now and the time she fled, and Kyra harbored more than just a few secrets.

"When I left, I didn't really know where I was going..."

* * *

There was a loud clap of thunder as the storm raged on. Kyra's vision was almost completely obstructed by the water trickling from the dark clouds. She was trying to find somewhere to land — except she couldn't quite see anything below her. Hence, it would seem she had no choice but to keep on flying.

She felt surprisingly lonesome flying in the sky. Now that the initial panic of her situation had worn off, reality was hitting her. She'd lost so much — her mother, her brother, three of her best friends, and those who were left behind were left with a gaping hole in their hearts. Kyra considered herself lucky to still have her love, but at this point, she'd lost him too. So, she continued on — alone, afraid, and unsure.

As she glided aimlessly through the vast skies, she felt numb. She was tired, and didn't want to feel anything. She had no worry over her head about possibly getting lost, since she hardly knew herself where she was headed.

Suddenly, a loud strike of lighting snapped her out of her dazed and numbed stupor. The lightning illuminated her face momentarily, as well as the land, shrouding it in a pale blue light. The sky water was falling harder. Kyra couldn't keep flying, or she would she be struck to the ground before she ever had a chance to find some ground to land on.

The sky water beating against her back, she took a nosedive. She folded back her wings and flew to the ground, the downhill winds causing her to plummet at a faster rate than she anticipated. Her body skidded across the soggy grass, landing in the shelter of a canopy of trees.

There was no way to tell where she was, but it hardly even mattered to Kyra anymore. Tired, aching and sore, she curled up in a patch of grass, slowly nodding off, too fatigued to notice the shadows creeping around her.

Kyra awoke early, at the break of dawn. The sky water had stopped, leaving large puddles as proof of the storm last night. She yawned, stretching her aching limbs. She was relieved to find that she was dry, and more importantly, that she was still alive.

Her eyes wandered, landing on a what looked like a baby rainbow face staring curiously at her. Kyra gasped, keeping her eyes locked on the hatchling.

The tall grass rustled, and a taller rainbow face stepped out. From the looks of it, this was the hatchling's mother. The female rainbow face walked over and lifted her child by the tail.

"You never listen to anyone, do you?"

The hatchling giggled bashfully.

The mother set the hatchling down behind the tall grass, nudging her forward. "Go now. Your father's looking for you."

Kyra immediately rose to her feet. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know anyone lived here—"

The rainbow face laughed, her glimmering gray eyes glistening. "Don't apologize. You're very welcome here. What's your name?"

"Kyra."

"What a lovely name. I am Val."

"Val...do you know where I am, by any chance?"

"You're in the swamplands," Val answered.

"The swamplands?!"

Val nodded her head.

"Well...can I talk to your leader then?"

Val laughed heartily. "I don't have a leader. Here, we all belong to ourselves."

Kyra looked at the rainbow face as if she were crazy. "What?"

"Allow me to explain," said Val. "This is no ordinary herd. We are made up of dinosaurs of all kinds, and we stay as long as we need before moving on."

Kyra shook her head, still very confused.

Val wrapped her arm around the flyer's shoulder. "I'll show you what I mean tonight. But for now, let's get you something to eat. You must be hungry."

"O-Okay...sounds good, I guess."

The day was passed by Val showing Kyra around the swamplands, telling her what to look out for, and where to find the best food.

When dusk fell, Kyra was told to take a seat beneath the canopy of trees where she had slept the night prior. Unsure of what was about to commence, she reluctantly sat down.

"Um...what's going on?"

"You'll find out soon enough," said Val.

Kyra groaned silently, leaning backwards against what she thought was a tree. When she heard a grunt, she turned to see that the supposed 'tree' was actually a large hollowhorn. She immediately scooted forward.

"Sorry."

When she looked around her, she saw a small group of dinosaurs, none of which were all the same. There were hollowhorns, flyers, and some small lizard-like dinosaurs.

Another rainbow face came up to Aurora, kicking a pile of leaves towards her with his tail. Val smiled at him, nuzzling his cheek. He did the same to her before taking a seat beside her.

"My friends, let us give thanks to the wonderful dinosaurs who helped gather this delicious food." Val looked towards Kyra, "Also, let us welcome our new guest, Kyra."

Kyra felt a bit uncomfortable being put on the spot, and could do nothing but wave awkwardly.

"Anyway," Val continued, "I promised to give this radiant young flyer an explanation about our herd, and I will deliver. You see, anyone is welcome here. It doesn't matter who or what you are — we're all just trying to find our place in a harsh and unforgiving world."

Kyra wrapped her arms around her knees, bringing them towards her chest. She'd yet to wrap her head around the entire concept of being in a herd with those not of your own kind.

There was the sound of wings flapping in the air as a grin spread across Val's face.

"Samuel! Welcome back. We've missed you."

Kyra's heart nearly burst out of her chest. She recognized that name. She knew a flyer with that name. Slowly, she turned around to see if her instincts were correct. There was no doubt in her mind now, there was Samuel — Sierra's deadbeat father. Haniel's abusive husband. Her murderer.

Samuel seemed to recognize Kyra as well, for when he saw her, his yellow eyes widened. However, he did not acknowledge her. He landed on the grass, folding his wings and taking a seat near some hollow horn hatchlings.

Kyra's green eyes were blazing with fury. She wanted to yell at him to get away from those innocent hatchlings, or, alternatively, yell at the hatchlings to get away from the flyer before it was too late.

Alas, she had no proof of Samuel's misdeeds. She'd make herself look like a fool if she even tried to out him to eveyone else. So, she kept silent — but not out of ignorance. She knew very well what Samuel was capable of.

"Good evening, Val," Samuel greeted. "Sorry I'm a bit late. I wanted to fly around and enjoy the nature."

Every time he opened his mouth, every time he spoke, Kyra wanted to wound her arms tightly around his neck and choke the life out of him. There was no excuse for what he did to Haniel. Samuel devastated Quincy, who loved her more than anything, more than Samuel ever did. Because of him, Sierra and his siblings grew up without the love of either of their parents. He'd ruined their lives, and he was able to get away scot free, with no real penance aside from banishment.

"It's quite alright, Samuel," Val said with a smile.

If only she knew, thought Kyra.

"Oh! We have a new visitor. Samuel, this is Kyra. Kyra, this is Samuel."

Samuel finally acknowledged Kyra with a slight nod of his head, and she did the same. It was an awkward greeting, with the two of them knowing the events that took place the last time they'd seen each other.

That night, Kyra slept with one eye open. She watched Samuel's every move, refusing to take her eyes off of him. It wasn't until Samuel went to sleep that Kyra let down her guard.

The following day, while Kyra was taking a sip of water, she felt strangely uncomfortable — like she was being watched. From the corner of her eye, she could have sworn that she'd seen Samuel perched on one of the large rock formations. When she turned her back, he was gone.

This process continued for the entirety of the day. Kyra would simply be minding her business, when she would see Samuel behind her, watching her with his beady eyes. But whenever she turned around, she saw nothing. It felt like she was going insane, but if she was aware of the fact, she couldn't really be spiraling into insanity, could she?

She didn't eat or sleep. She would just sit by the ledge, standing vigil, and keeping her eyes peeled for the brown flyer. Early one morning, when the bright circle wasn't even in the sky, she heard the flapping of wings get closer. Kyra immediately turned her head around, and saw Samuel standing there.

The yellow flyer didn't hesitate. As she leapt for him and pounced on his chest, she didn't even bother to think about the consequences of her actions. Breathing heavily, her eyes wide, and her pupils turning to narrow slits, she screeched in his face.

No one had ever seen such a look of pure terror on Samuel's face. He held his hands over his face, shielding himself from Kyra's wrath.

"How _dare_ you show your face around me?"

"I-I didn't know you'd be here—"

"Do you know what you did?"

"W-What?"

"Do you remember what you did?"

"...Can you get off me...?"

Reluctantly, Kyra stepped off of his chest, sitting down in front of him.

"Do you remember what you did to Haniel?"

A painful expression crossed over his face as he nodded. "How...How is Haniel...?"

Kyra hesitated a moment. "...She's dead. She died the morning after you left...after you attacked her."

Samuel's eyes widened, and it looked as if he'd been punched in the gut. "D-Dead...? My...Haniel?"

"Yes. Because of what you did."

Samuel was still in shock as he shook his head. "No," he mouthed silently.

Kyra narrowed her eyes at him. "No? What do you mean no—"

"NO!" Samuel suddenly pounced on her, just like she had done to him moments before. "No...that's not possible. There's no way that Haniel is dead. She _can't_ be dead."

Kyra kicked him, pinning him to the ground. "It _is_ possible, and it's the truth."

Samuel was in denial, and that denial manifested in the form of unhinged anger. He latched his teeth around Kyra's arm, causing her to screech in pain.

Kyra dug her claws into his skin, but Samuel did not relent. His teeth cutting through her flesh, he kicked her square in the stomach, sending her flying over the end of the ledge.

In a world of pain, and unable to battle the force of the downhill wind, Kyra plummeted downwards. She let out a panicked screech, desperately trying to stay airborne before falling into the dark waters below with a loud splash. The last thing she saw was Samuel scuffling to get into the air, and then flying off.

The ripples in the water grew until they vanished. The rapid current carried her downstream in the least gentle of manners. The powerful waves slammed her body against the rocks, giving her no more than a few seconds to recover and watch the shimmering sharp toothed fish dive in and out of the water before carrying her along again.

She washed up on a rocky shore, covered with large rocks almost as dark as night. Sore and bruised, Kyra crawled up on top of a more flat piece of rock. Then, with a single sigh of exhaustion, she collapsed onto the stone.

When she stirred an entire day later, it took a few minutes for her blurred vision, shifting in and out of focus, to finally adjust. The sky was grey with ominous clouds looming over, the cries of various creatures filling the chilly air.

Her head throbbing, she managed to prop herself up onto a rock at a higher elevation. She trudged across the sand covered rocks, sniffing the air for any possible food. Her entire body ached, and she was starving. She was so hungry that she managed to forget the fact that she wasn't protected anymore. Still, the beaches were relatively empty — or at least it appeared so.

Just when she began to lose hope, Kyra managed to spot a pile of fish lying in a large patch of dirt, surrounded by tall and jagged rock formations. Her hunger overriding her other senses, she flew over and made a sloppy landing in front of the pile, ignoring the crunching sound underneath her. She sniffed the fish, which smelled somewhat fresh.

It was clear that someone had caught these fish, and had most likely gone to catch some more, but Kyra wasn't thinking logically. All she could think about was her hunger, and that she needed food.

Without any further hesitation, she gulped down one fish, then another, and then another. Before she realized it, she was raiding someone else's food supply.

A loud and powerful screech that sounded almost like a terrified scream sounded through the air. Kyra looked up, and a large flyer, about twice her size, came into view.

The flyer was gigantic — bigger than any flyer she'd ever seen. Jade colored scales covered it's colossal body, and on it's head was a giant and rectangular teal colored crest. Along it's beak, near it's conspicuous yellow eyes was a patch of scales a more yellowish shade of green than the rest of it's body. Millions of tiny hairs lined it's neck, and it stood on a pair of two powerful and long legs.

One look at the flyer, and Kyra could tell it was a female. However, when the flyer bared the razor sharp teeth that filled her mouth, Kyra quickly realized that it didn't matter whether it was male or female — the flyer was a lethal creature that had the potential to kill her either way.

Kyra quickly fled, and the flyer flew after her. She stopped to sniff the dirt, pushing some of it away with her snout. Buried an inch under the pile of dirt was a clutch of now mostly crushed eggs.

The flyer's pupils widened for a moment as she bellowed in distress. When she looked at Kyra, they turned to narrow slits, moments before she resumed her pursuit of the yellow flyer.

Kyra hadn't even realized what she'd done. Initially, she thought that the flyer was distressed because Kyra had eaten all of her food. But as she flew directly above the patch of dirt, she realized that the rough landing had caused her to crack some of the eggs.

She felt sorry for the mother, but this didn't mean she wasn't going to try and get away. Kyra zoomed towards the coast, swooping downwards towards the rocks. Because of her size, she was able to turn and fly upwards. The other flyer, however, was too large to make such a tight turn. She skidded across the earth, leaving numerous scrapes on her lovely green scales.

She didn't relent. She let out a screech, turning towards the cliffs, as if calling for someone. Then, she took to the sky. Flapping her wings, she picked up speed and quickly caught up to Kyra. Her sharp teeth latched onto Kyra's leg, and refused to let go.

Kyra cried out in pain, desperately flapping her wings to try and break free. With one powerful lurch and a bite on the other flyer's side, along with practically clawing out her face, she managed to break away, the sound of her flesh tearing echoing through the clouds.

As she fled, Kyra looked back at her leg. There was a huge gash, from which blood was flowing freely. Panicked, she increased her pace.

A light blue flyer showed up in her path. He was roughly the same size as the female, and looked just as angry. Kyra managed to evade him, but the female was still on her tail.

She soon came to a split in the paths. One was wider and easier to maneuver through. Kyra could get through it easily. The other was more narrow. The larger flyer wouldn't be able to get thorough without injuring some part of her body. It would be harder for Kyra to fly, but she could manage.

The other flyer, her face now covered in several angry claw marks, was quickly approaching. Kyra quickly flew towards the narrower row of cliffs. The flyer barely managed to squeeze through, and struggled to dodge the branches jutting out from the rocks. Kyra looked behind her and turned around just long enough to see the flyer be hit in the face by a branch. Now was her chance.

Kyra flew up, but she misjudged the flyer's determination. The larger flyer followed her, clipping her wing as she emerged from the opening. When Kyra heard the warning screech, she felt her heart sink. She didn't want to take any drastic measures, but it was either her or the flyer trying to eat her.

She looked down and spotted a ravine covered with an overgrowth of thorns in the cracks. That would do the trick. Kyra flew just high enough before turning tail and flying downwards. Her predator immediately followed suit.

Inches away from the thorns, Kyra slowed down and made a sharp turn. The flyer let out a panicked screech as she realized she wouldn't be able to evade the sharp vines. From above, her mate let out a screech of his own. The pupils of his light green eyes were huge, and filled with fear.

The flyer fell face first into the thorns, hitting the ground with a loud crunch. As soon as she did, all movement ceased. She stopped struggling.

Kyra did not stop to rest. She glanced at the flyer sitting on the top of the rock from the corner of her eye, and kept flying.

Then, as if the two larger flyers weren't enough, a trio of slightly smaller flyers led by a pale beige flyer zoomed past Kyra. But they weren't after her. They headed towards the patch of dirty where the nest was. The male flyer screeched loudly, and flew after the three smaller flyers.

Kyra couldn't be bothered to try and stop them. She had to get away. Even if she did try and help the pair, sharpteeth had no conscience. They were not sentient. They would eat her as soon as they got the chance. Even so, that flyer was someone's mate. She was going to be someone's mother. Kyra desperately hoped that she hadn't killed her, and kept on flying.

Kyra flew for days without any food or water. She didn't stop to look for anything, nor did she stop to take a break from flying. All she did was fly wherever the wind would take her. It was safer in the sky, she continued to reassure herself. Nothing could get her up here, and the clouds made for a good hiding place. She tried to focus on the positive aspects of her situation, but it was getting harder to do so.

Her wings were getting stiff. Her vision was failing. Whether that was because of the immense heat of the desert or her malnourished body, she didn't know. Her stomach begged to be fed, and she continued to ignore it.

After spending nearly a week being airborne, Kyra began to feel more than sick. She'd already expelled the contents of her stomach until there was nothing left, and stepped now began to feel weak and faint. Her vision was fading, the world around her turning into a mass of oranges and yellows.

Finally, after so many days, her consciousness began to fail. Her eyes clamped shut and she stopped flapping her wings. Her body went completely limp, plummeting through layers and layers of clouds.

She landed on the brash desert ground, uncomfortably warm with cracks running through the earth. Her breathing grew slow and weak, her eyes slightly opened, enough to show nothing more than the whites of her eyes.

Deprived of the energy she needed to move, Kyra remained on the ground. In her mind, she knew one of three things would happen: one, she'd be eaten by a hungry sharptooth roaming the desert for a meal. Two, a kind dinosaur would come across her half dead body and help her get back to full health. Or three, no one would do anything and leave her there to die. She was counting on the third option.

She spent hours lying there in agony. She wished she would just die already. She'd lost her mother and her brother, her father had lost his entire family, and it was probable that Pterano wanted nothing to do with her, wherever he was.

There was no one she wanted more in the world than her family. She wanted to feel her father's comforting and tender touch, to hear her mother's calming voice that always managed to make everything alright, and she wanted to laugh along to Randy's stupid jokes. But she couldn't have any of that.

At last, two sharpteeth came to put her out of her misery. They were the color of tree bark, with vibrant red crests over their menacing yellow eyes. One of the sharpteeth sniffed the the flyer's body, repulsed by the fowl smell.

He grunted retracting his snout before whispering to his younger partner. They seemed unsure of whether or not the flyer was dead. The other sharptooth brought his nose to the limp body before him, giving it a rough nudge.

Kyra grunted loudly, startling the two predators. She opened her eyes, watching the sharpteeth closely. The look in her eyes could be described as hostile, but there was fear in them, uncertainty leaking through.

One of the sharpteeth growled at her, looking somewhat disgusted.

She'd accepted that this was how her short life would end — with her pushed to the edge of starvation, her loved ones gone, and her dreams remaining unfulfilled.

She closed her eyes, bellowing sadly and lowering her head, resigned to her fate.

The sharpteeth's cold and unnerving stares never left Kyra. They seemed bewildered and confused, almost as if they were second guessing themselves, having second thoughts about killing this flyer.

A loud rumbling vibrated underneath the earth. In the distance was a large could of dust, making the air thick with dirt and debris. When the dust began to clear, a heard of humongous longnecks with long whiplike tails were visible, paying no mind to their surroundings as they continued on.

Contrary to popular belief, sharpteeth were not stupid. Their minds were very sharp, it was only a matter of how they used it. In the case of these two sharpteeth, they were aware that they needed to make a decision. So, one of them lifted Kyra by the neck and grunted to his partner before the both of them ran off.

The two dinosaurs carried their potential prey off to their home in a small forest. The world was changing, and food was becoming harder to find. Because of the ever-changing climate, the forest's vegetation had wilted and died off, prompting the leaf eaters to look elsewhere for nourishment. Likewise, the predators had been pushed to the edge of the desert in pursuit of a kill. They were starving, just as much as Kyra was.

The older sharptooth set Kyra down on the ledge of a flat rock, going down to the stream for a drink.

Kyra was mere minutes away from death. She was breathing, but barely. She didn't respond to any external stimuli, simply lying there, unresponsive and completely still.

A heavy rustle echoed through the forest as a light breeze blew in the air. Kyra had lost such a large portion of her body weight that a little bit of wind was enough to gently push her frail and tiny body off of the ledge and into the water below.

Drifting weightlessly in the green depths, Kyra could taste the freshwater entering her mouth. Her skin began to regain it's moisture, and her eyes suddenly snapped open. Her breath escaping in the form of bubble, she did a quick scan of her surroundings. The water seemed endless, as if there were no beginning or no end.

It acted as an effective mask for pretadors. Kyra didn't even see the oddly shaped swimming sharptooth advance towards her until it gave a warning call. Kyra's eyes widened, and she flew out of the water and onto dry land as quickly as she could, the sharptooth barely missing her.

Kyra felt immensely relieved to find that she was still alive. The moisture of the water was enough to revive her, but she was still lacking in strength. She needed food, but there was nothing to consume.

The two sharpteeth focused their eyes on their prey, growling softly. Then, several loud chirps sounded through the trees. Climbing across a log was a pack of smaller dinosaurs, who had been attracted by the smell of meat.

These dinosaurs were slender and tall, and light on their feet. Their long tails pointed towards the air and their yellow eyes conspicuously watching the two larger sharpteeth, the agile little predators hopped down from the log.

The sharpteeth were quick to defend what they thought was their kill. They growled and roared, jabbing at the other dinosaurs, even killing one of them by biting it's neck, shaking the life out of it's tiny form.

The corpse fell onto the ground, and while the fighting continued to ensue, Kyra grabbed the dead dinosaur by the tail, sneaking off with it.

She was still too weak to fly, so she continued walking, trying to get as far away as she could in her condition.

Near a shore, a herd of rather large four legged dinosaurs were grazing on the remnants of the small clutch of trees still growing in the corner of the sandy beach. Their calls, thick and airy sounds produced through their snout and nose, blocked out any other sound.

Kyra flew onto the back of the largest one of them she could spot, and stared at the dead dinosaur in her mouth. She'd known since birth that she had the capability to eat meat. She simply grew up with so much green food that killing for food had never even crossed her mind.

This time, there was no green food. The dead dinosaur lying limply between her teeth was all there was to eat. If she passed up this opportunity, she might not find another meal for days. So, she took a bite of it's flesh. She chewed it down, bit by bit, and swallowed. She repeated this process until she'd completely devoured the dinosaur. By the end of the entire ordeal, she felt sick to her stomach.

The herd soon moved on, and the other smaller dinosaurs never returned. The most likely case scenario was that duo of sharpteeth had killed and eaten them all. Unfortunate for the small and agile creatures, but good luck for the sharpteeth, who hadn't had a kill in months.

Kyra decided she would hitch a ride for as long as she could. It would give her a chance to rest, and while their calls were loud and obnoxious, it was better than being exposed in the open. The dinosaurs were so large that they didn't even notice Kyra's presence, which worked out perfectly fine.

When nighttime fell, Kyra couldn't fall asleep. Not only was she without anyone she trusted, and moving around, there was too much background noise. Eventually, she gave up on sleep and resolved to look at the millions and millions of stars dotting the night sky.

Kyra took off in the morning. She'd decided she could never get used to dinosaurs who smelled like they defecated over themselves, or dinosaurs who constantly made so much noise. With that, she flew off into the horizon.

As she soared through the sky, the familiar smell of trees and vegetation entered her nostrils. She carried on, determined to reach the oasis she pictured in her mind.

Just as a canopy of trees came into view, her wings began to fail. Her body wasn't up to speed with her mind, and after a panicked attempt to stay in the sky, she took a nosedive downwards.

Burrowing through layers of leaves and twigs, Kyra skidded across the grass, landing into a lake with a loud splash. If there was one thing she needed to stop doing, that was it.

Kyra looked up to see a strongly built rainbow face shaking herself dry. Once she'd shook the last droplets of water from her tail, her vibrant and curious teal eyes met Kyra's startled green ones.

The rainbow face didn't charge or attack, nor did she run away. She seemed intrigued, fascinated, almost delighted. And that gleam in her eyes — it was practically childlike.

"Are you alright?"

"What?"

Kyra hadn't meant to sound so rude. She panicked, and that was all she could manage to say.

"I was asking if you were alright," repeated the rainbow face, eyes remaining fixated on the flyer as she stepped closer. "That must have been quite a fall."

She laughed and smiled. When she smiled, she smiled with her entire face.

The rainbow face clearly meant well, but Kyra couldn't find it in her to care.

"Does it matter? Just let me die already. Kill me. Devour me until I'm nothing but a pile of bones. I've got nothing left to live for."

"Now, I couldn't do that. You must have been through so much. If you just gave up, what would all that suffering be for then?"

"Nothing. It would all be for nothing, which I'm perfectly fine with. I have nothing left."

"Just because you've lost everything, it doesn't mean it's the end of the world. There's always room for improvement."

Kyra didn't say anything.

The rainbow face furrowed her brows. "Hold on. I'll get you something to eat." She backed away into the shelter of the trees. "Stay there!"

And so, the kind rainbow face managed to find a delicacy for Kyra. She found tree stars, tree sweets, ferns, and various fruits. There was even some fish in there.

Kyra didn't hesitate in the slightest, and quickly dug in. The rainbow face sat down and watched her finish the entire meal.

"Would you like to stay at my place? Until you regain your strength?"

Kyra swallowed a grape, and shook her head. "No. I shouldn't. I'm not a rainbow face."

The rainbow face snorted. "So? We don't care."

"I know, but...I do."

"Oh." The rainbow face went silent. "…Alright. Would you still like a place to stay?"

Kyra nodded meekly, and once she was done with her food, she was led to an intricate system of caves.

"I come here every day," said the rainbow face. "If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to tell me."

"Thank you," said Kyra. "Oh— what's your name?"

The rainbow face told Kyra her name, but Kyra hardly heard any of it, and soon fell asleep. The rainbow face smiled, and then left for home.

Kyra spent much of her time in the caves. She saw the rainbow face every day, and the two grew very close.

One sunny afternoon, the rainbow face was resting on a patch of dirt, soaking in the light of the bright circle while Kyra laid on a ledge above her.

Kyra felt a strange sense of security with this other dinosaur. She felt at peace, and at ease. Then, while she was relaxing on the top of the ledge, she broke down into tears.

The rainbow face looked up, worried. Not shocked, just worried. "What's wrong, love?"

"I ate meat," sobbed Kyra, her voice cracking. "I ate another dead creature! What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you. If your body was able to accept the meat, then that's natural."

"But it's wrong! It feels like I'm a sharptooth!"

"Well...nobody's perfect."

"I feel disgusting..."

"There's something you should know," said the rainbow face, sitting up. "There's nothing wrong with being what you are. I know you're upset because what you ate was a living thing just like you are, but so is everything else. Sharpteeth are also living creatures who need to eat to live."

"I know that, but I can never see myself as one of them. They're cruel and heartless beings."

"That's not true. They just don't communicate like we do. And it's not their fault that they are what they are, and that they have to kill to survive. Just like it's not our fault that we need to run from them in order for us to survive."

"I'm still disgusted."

The rainbow face frowned. "Tell me, when you were growing up, were you told to stick to your kind and never speak to any other kind of dinosaur?"

"Yeah...I do believe I should only be friends with other flyers. Why?"

"It's just that...you're friends with me..." A smile turned the corners of her mouth upwards. "...Right?"

Kyra's eyes widened slightly, as if she'd come to a sudden realization. Then, she looked away. "Well...I don't know."

"You do know that this way of thinking is quite narrow minded."

Kyra looked back at her, indignant. "Excuse me?"

"There's a lot of diversity in this world, and there's a reason for that. It's so we can coexist, and help each other. If you only stick to what you know, that's all you will ever know."

The rainbow face refused to utter another word, and left in silence, leaving Kyra with her thoughts.

That brief conversation shattered Kyra's entire world view. Everything changed. She'd realized that she, along with everyone else who believed what she believed in, was wrong.

She needed to rediscover herself. She needed to find out who or what she really was.

Kyra spent the next month or so getting back to full health. On the day of her departure, she thanked her host not only for helping her, but for opening her eyes. The two shared a brief embrace before Kyra returned to her place in the sky.

She glided and soared, all the way to what used to be her old home. By now, it was nothing more than a pile of rocks. She'd held some hope in her heart that there might be something left, but she saw now that there was nothing more to come back to. All the flyers were gone, and all that was left were a few remnants of what used to be.

Kyra collapsed to her knees, her hands close to her chest, which felt as if it were engulfed in flames. Suddenly, the grief and the pain all seemed fresh again.

" _I'm so sorry, Randy_."

* * *

Pterano's gaze had remained solely on her as she spoke. His attention never faltered, he was never distracted by anything. For him, while Kyra told him her story, all that existed was her.

"Another group of flyers spotted me while I was visiting home and chased me. A rainbow face helped me then too," said Kyra, "That was how I met Amelia, and eventually, how I found you."

"My word..." Pterano blinked away the tears budding in the corners of his eyes. "I knew you were strong, dearest, but...that was incredible. You are _amazing_."

"No, I'm not. I had help."

"From the rainbow faces, I presume?"

Kyra nodded before looking out towards the bright blue sky. "They just seem more open minded than most...they're so warm and welcoming."

"Do you know the name of the one who helped you and changed your views?"

"Dana, I think...I don't know. Something with a 'D'. I wish I remembered her name. She really did help me, and I'll always be grateful.

Pterano squeezed her hands, a sympathetic look in his ebony eyes. "But you also helped yourself. You made it through that horrific ordeal, and you still came out on top. That's quite noteworthy, if you ask me."

Kyra permit herself a grateful grin. "Thanks, Pterano. But...I'm not better yet."

"But you _will_ be," said Pterano, tenderly gripping her chin. "It'll take time, but you will be able to look back on this, one day. We can heal and move on, together. You aren't alone anymore."

Kyra closed her eyes and leaned on his shoulder, perfectly content in his arms. "Together...I like that."

* * *

Pterano and Kyra flew across the valley, the wind blowing through their wings. Kyra scanned the landscape, searching for the family of rainbow faces.

"There!" She pointed towards the ground and dived downwards, Pterano subsequently following her.

Andy was happily snacking on a bush of leaves, his tiny infant daughter standing at his feet. Sophie was trying to get his attention by repeatedly nudging the back of his foot with her snout. Andy was used to it by now, however, and did not budge.

Amelia and Tristan watched the rambunctious hatchling persist, chuckling to themselves.

"She's so much like Di," said Amelia, laughing.

"Yeah," agreed Andy, swallowing his food. "She's mean. Just like Diana."

Kyra landed just in the nick of time to hear the end of Andy's sentence. Hearing that name sparked something in her, like a long lost memory.

" _Diana_ ," she exclaimed, turning to Pterano. "Pterano! Her name was Diana!"

Andy peered over at the flyers, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"I was starving in the mysterious beyond," Kyra began to explain, walking over, "A rainbow face named Diana helped me. She gave me a place to stay. And...if it weren't for her, I'd still be a bit narrow minded."

Tristan raised a brow. "Like Threehorn?"

Kyra failed to repress a snort. "Well...yeah."

"I'm not surprised," said Andy. "Di loved helping others...but she didn't like a big deal being made out of it. That might be why she never told me about you."

Kyra offered a sweet and good natured smile. "Did...Did she not make it to the valley?"

Andy gave a sad shake of his head, wincing. "No, I'm afraid not. She, uh, sacrificed herself for our daughter and I."

Kyra felt a pang of sadness in her chest as she looked down. "Oh...I'm so sorry."

"She believed in coexistence," continued Andy, "But there was nothing she loved more than her family. She always said she would die for us if she needed to...and she did."

Kyra couldn't find her words, nor did she know what to say.

"But she would be _so_ happy to know that she managed to make a difference in your life," said Andy. "Believe me, she would."

"She really did change my life," said Kyra, her voice soft as she held back tears.

Andy looked up at the sky, a lovely and gentle shade of blue, with puffy white clouds that seemed to form the shape of some type of two-legged dinosaur. His light brown eyes turned moist and glassy, as clear as the fresh water of the valley's watering hole. He then gave a smile that seemed to fluctuate between sad and happy — it was almost bittersweet.

"She changed mine too."


	26. Chapter 26: You Are Not Alone

**Hey, everyone! I managed to get another chapter up. I really hope you guys enjoy it, because I enjoyed writing it, and feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, and have a great week!**

* * *

Amelia slowly ran her teeth along the deliciously moist green fern, gradually stripping plant of each of it's long and slender leaves. She then chewed them down until they were nothing but small bite sized pieces she could swallow.

Tristan had his neck outstretched, standing near a ledge which offered an amazing view of the entire valley. One could see everything: the watering hole, the fir trees scattered across the land, and so much more. Tristan glanced at his wife from the corner of his gleaming amber eye.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Amelia's eyes, as blue as the sky above them, wandered towards him. Curious to see the view, she joined him by his side. She gazed out towards the valley, humming in agreement.

"Mhmm."

"I told you I would find you the place of your dreams," said Tristan, waggling his eyebrows.

"Well, you definitely delivered," replied Amelia, eyeing him lazily.

She turned her head slightly towards the right and found Tristan staring at her with half lidded eyes, as if in a dream. Amelia snickered, an amused glow in her eyes.

"What?"

"Do you remember the day we met?"

"I try not to," Amelia said, shaking her head as she began to walk down the landing.

" _Hello, excuse me miss_ ," he began, imitating himself as he edged towards her, " _Can you check if I have any mud under my tail_?"

Amelia shoved him away, laughing. "Tristan! Get away!"

Tristan persisted, tickling her underbelly. Ever since coming to the Great Valley, he had loosened up a great deal. He was still the anxious, worried, overprotective husband and father he always had been, but the angry manifestations of those emotions hardly ever reared their ugly heads nowadays. It was a wondrous thing to see.

"Tristan, stop— oh, _OW_!"

Amelia took a step back, clutching her side. Wide eyed, Tristan backed off in an instant. He hesitated a moment before extending an arm out towards her.

"Are you alright? Did I do something? I'm so sorry—"

"No, no," she insisted, her hands finally leaving her sides as she lifted her head. "My side...it just really hurts..."

Tristan lowered his head to examine her flank, a red, irritated area grabbing his attention.

"What's this?" He interrogated, narrowing his half-lidded eyes and gesturing to the area.

Amelia's eyes briefly followed his down to the reddened spot before she quickly looked away. "Oh, I think it's just an itchy spot."

"Amelia...it's _red_."

"Mhm. Really itchy."

"Are you sure?"

"Tristan..." Amelia rolled her eyes in annoyance as she began to walk away.

"No, really," said Tristan, following her movements and walking behind her.

"It's red because it's itchy, which is why it hurts."

"Alright, but still...it could be something serious."

"And here I was thinking you'd loosened up by now."

"I'll never really loosen up," he said flatly. "Worrying about the ones I love most is in my nature."

"So is being so sweet I can't be mad at you." Amelia brought her snout to his, closing her eyes. "Trust me, I'll be fine. You know how strong I am. Don't worry, love."

Tristan held her gaze for a long time before sighing resignedly. "Fine. But we're going home right now."

Amelia scoffed, smirking. "You're no fun."

Nonetheless, Amelia walked alongside him as they proceeded to walk downhill. As she placed her feet on the grass, she could feel that sudden and sharp, stinging pain near her side. She gasped sharply, wincing, but continued to walk.

Tristan glanced back at her, noting her pained expression. When she looked directly at him, Tristan flashed a kind smile, pretending not to notice. He only wished that she realized that she whatever this was, she didn't have to be so standoffish about it. He wished she'd realized that she wasn't alone in the face of danger.

Tristan stopped for a moment, waiting for her to catch up. Once she had, the pair wordlessly continued towards home.

* * *

Eva was nose deep in a pond closer to a more isolated area of the valley. Hidden by the shelter of the trees, she was able to hunt in peace.

She kept her eyes fixed on her catch. She waited for the right moment. The unsuspecting fish drew closer, and just as Eva opened her mouth—

" _Eva_!"

Eva's attention was promptly diverted, but in that short time frame, she missed her chance. The fish had already swam away. Giving a dejected sigh, she pulled her head out of the water. Light green eyes, as pure as the clearest water hole, looked up.

By the time Chomper reached her, he was out of breath. "Eva," he gasped, "do you want to play toss the seed with us?"

Eva rested her head on her knuckles, eyes shifting to the side. "No," she answered. "...What's toss the seed?"

"It's what it says," explained Chomper, "You have a seed, and you just toss it around everywhere."

The game sounded intriguing enough, but Eva was still uncertain. "What if I get caught by one of the other dinosaurs while playing?"

"We'll keep a lookout," Chomper reassured her. "If we see someone, we'll tell you to hide."

She didn't exactly enjoy the idea of having to hide, but she had little choice. Letting out a sigh, she gave her answer.

"Fine. I'll play."

Chomper's face lit up. "Great. You'll love it!"

Eva wished she could be as sure as Chomper was. She slouched a bit, briefly glancing behind her. With the coast clear, she ran to catch up to him.

The female sharptooth was a natural at the game. Light on her feet, she was able to catch and toss the seed with ease. The time flew by, and the little dinosaurs were so preoccupied with their game that they never even noticed Littlefoot's grandfather steadily aapproaching them.

The elderly longneck lowered his neck, squinting to make sure his eyesight was not deceiving him. As it would turn out, he was correct. There were two juvenile sharpteeth standing before him. "Oh- oh, my..."

The smaller dinosaurs immediately turned around, watching as Eva squeaked and ran behind Chomper and Ruby.

"Erm...children," Kenneth began to say, "Is...Is this a new friend of yours?"

"Uh," stammered Littlefoot, "...Yes?"

"Her name is Eva," stated Chomper. "She's a sharptooth like me!"

"I can see that," muttered Kenneth. "But...why is she here?"

Eva then stepped out. She didn't quite trust any of her new friends — if she could even refer to them as such — to give a proper explanation for the reason behind her presence in a place dominated by leaf eaters.

"My parents are trying to get away from Red Claw," she began, "They were afraid of having to leave me alone, and me being with them makes it harder for them to escape. So, they sent me here. Since I only eat fish, they felt that I would be allowed to stay..."

Kenneth listened intently as the tiny sharptooth offered an explanation. "Why, Chomper and Ruby here are in a similar situation," he said. "But I'm not too sure how the others would react to this. Then again, if you pose no threat, I don't see why—"

"How we'd react to what?"

Kenneth winced. That gruff voice, as hard as stone. There was no mistake — it was Mr. Threehorn. Kenneth repressed his grimace, and flashed a smile instead.

"Threehorn. I must say, you have impeccable timing..."

Mr. Threehorn stepped forward. "What is going on here?" Suddenly, his eyes landed on Eva, who smiled and waved. He caught a glimpse of her sharp teeth, and already knew what this was about.

"Oh, no!" He stomped his foot on the ground, and hard. "There is _no_ way _another_ sharptooth is living in the valley."

Chomper tried to speak up for his friend. "But, Mr. Threehorn—"

"No!" Mr. Threehorn huffed. "We let you stay here under certain conditions. And bringing in another sharptooth was _not_ included in those."

"But daddy," interjected Cera, who actually felt some sympathy for Eva. "She's been really nice to us. And she only eats fish!"

Eva was taken a bit by surprise, but Cera's protest shocked the little sharptooth into a glimmer of respect.

"That doesn't matter," growled Mr. Threehorn. "A sharptooth is a sharptooth."

"At least give her a chance, Threehorn," Kenneth pleaded. "Let the girl explain herself in front of everyone, and then the valley as a whole can decide whether or not she can stay."

Mr. Threehorn grumbled something under his breath. "Oh... _fine_!"

* * *

Amelia's tail twitched as she slept, the wind whistling through the tall, shaggy leaved trees, small spots of light reflecting on her face.

Tristan was not fatigued in the least, and instead resolved to watch over her as she slept. His eyes continually drifted towards the red area on her flank, which worried him a great deal. But there was little he or anyone could do.

Sighing, he laid his head on the cave floor, resting his head on hers. Just as he began to nod off, the sound of distant footsteps reawakened him. He looked up to see all the dinosaurs residing in the Great Valley gathering in one place. A similar gathering had taken place when he first arrived, and they didn't happen often, from what he could see.

Intrigued, he stepped out, craning his neck to get a better view. Not even a minute later, Amelia emerged, yawning.

"What's going on?" She inquired, getting one more yawn out of her before burying her face in the nook of Tristan's neck.

Tristan looked at her, and then back towards where the others were gathering. "I don't know. Should we go see? I mean, we don't have to, if you want to stay and rest—"

"We might as well," interrupted Amelia, walking ahead of him. "After all, we _do_ live here."

Tristan couldn't quite argue with that logic. Raising his tail, he wiped some dirt and dust off of his face with his hands and then followed his wife.

* * *

The gathering place wasn't grand in the least. It was a big patch of dirt, surrounded by flat rocks and a couple of trees. However, due to it's size, it was the ideal place to hold large scale meetings.

There were murmurs and whispers among the crowd — no one knew why they had been summoned. Kenneth soon stepped forward, raising his neck.

"Everyone," he began, "We are gathered here today because a young dinosaur would like to explain herself in front or everyone. Now, while we all have differing views and beliefs, I do ask that you be please open minded when listening to this young girl."

"Go ahead, dear," Linda urged Eva.

Eva stepped forward, her tail hanging limp, a clear sign that she wasn't exactly looking forward to speaking in front of the entire valley.

"Um...my name is Eva, and I am a sharptooth. But I only eat fish," she explained in a hurry as if she were expecting someone to jump upon hearing her state that she was a sharptooth. "My parents are on the run from Red Claw, like Chomper and Ruby, and they wanted me to be safe, so...they sent me here."

Once she was done explaining herself and her unfortunate situation, Eva quietly waited for whatever backlash she knew would befall her.

Kyra and Pterano watched from above, perched on a low tree branch. Kyra initially felt defensive and hostile, but she quickly changed her mind when she loiled at the situation from the sharptooth's perspective. Pterano felt sympathetic, although his fear of sharpteeth was more prominent.

Mr. Threehorn did not bother to take the circumstances into consideration. "How dare you? You can't just barge in here! Who do you think you are? Sharpteeth are trouble, no matter what age."

"Topsy!" Tria scolded him, not fond of sharpteeth in the least, but incredibly fond of children. Furthermore, Eva was rather cute, which made it difficult to hold any disdain for her.

Unfortunately, some of the valley members agreed with the angry Mr. Threehorn.

Amelia and Tristan were amongst the crowd, intrigued by all the dinosaurs gathered in one place.

"Poor girl," remarked Amelia. "She has to go through all this trouble _just_ to have a place to stay!"

"Well," mumbled Tristan, "She _is_ a sharptooth."

Amelia scowled at her husband, taken aback. "You _agree_ with him?"

"No," Tristan shook his head, "I don't agree with him. I think he's quite daft, but realistically, it will take some time for trust to develop. We don't know anything about the sharptooth, and as you've noticed, most of these dinosaurs don't take too kindly to anything strange."

" _No_ ," said Mr. Threehorn, cutting into their conversation. "She's not allowed to stay, and that's final."

Amelia looked up, and clenched her jaw. Tristan already had an inkling of what was on her mind.

"Don't," he forbade, "You'll make him angrier."

Amelia ignored her husband's protests, and made her way through the crowd until she was standing in front of the threehorn.

"And who are you to say whether she stays here or not? I thought that would be a _collective_ decision."

"It is," huffed Mr. Threehorn. "But we only allowed Chomper to stay here under special circumstances."

"And? Doesn't this sharptooth have similar circumstances? On the run from, uh...who was it— Red Claw?"

"Well, uh, yes! But that doesn't—"

"Then, what's the problem? Are you really that threatened by a sharptooth that eats _fish_? By a mere child?"

"Yes! We don't know her or anything about her, so she's a threat!"

"I understand that. But you're not even listening to what she's trying to say."

"She's a sharptooth. Nothing she says will change that."

Amelia was silent for a moment. "Well...then, it just seems you're looking for a fight, aren't you, Threehorn?"

This stunned everyone in the crowd. Even Cera was speechless. She couldn't quite decide whether her father deserved it or not. Perhaps, he did, but Cera preferred to remain on her father's good side. She resigned not to say anything.

Up in the tree, Pterano smirked.

"Well said," he remarked.

"You've got some nerve, you raving rainbow face," Mr. Threehorn growled, brushing his feet across the grass, pulling some blades from their roots.

Kenneth could see where this was going. "Mr. Threehorn, please! Calm down."

"Oh no," whispered Littlefoot.

"This is not good," added Ruby. "Good this is not."

Petrie covered his eyes, trembling as he sat on top of Spike's head. "Oh, me no can watch!"

Mr. Threehorn charged towards the female rainbow face, who wasn't fazed in the least.

"Topsy!" Yelled Tria. "Topsy, don't!"

Just when everyone in the crowd prepared to avert their eyes, Tristan hopped in front of the raging threehorn, willing to take the blow. Mr. Threehorn came to a sudden and screeching halt, barely nudging Tristan in the side with his horn.

Tristan lifted his head, looking Mr. Threehorn in the eye. "And I thought _I_ had anger issues."

Mr. Threehorn remained silent, his eyes burning holes through that of the rainbow face. He didn't have a response.

"Perhaps...you need to take a break from all this. It seems to be getting to your head a little." Shockingly, Tristan managed not to yell, but his voice was filled with venom.

Tria walked over to her husband, angry and disappointed. "Topsy, how could you? I understand you were angry, but attacking someone else?"

"I'm sorry," the threehorn apologized, melting in the presence of his mate. "I don't know what came over me."

"Well, apologize. To them, not to me." Tria motioned towards the rainbow faces with her horn. "And please, listen to what they have to say."

"I-I'm sorry," he said to the rainbow faces. "I got a bit...defensive."

"It's quite alright," said Amelia, narrowing her eyes. "Now...I think we should give the sharptooth a chance. She should be allowed to stay so long as she does no harm. If she does do anything, well, we'll have to make a decision, won't we?"

Kenneth raised his head. "Does everyone agree?"

There were murmurs of agreement within the crowd, most of them in favor of the compromise.

Eva looked up, her green eyes frightened and uncertain, but with a glimmer of hope. "So...I can stay?"

"For now," grumbled Mr. Threehorn.

"Did you hear that, Eva?" Chomper was thrilled, almost more thrilled than his sharptooth friend. "You can stay!"

"I heard, Chomper." Eva offered a good natured smile to show that she appreciated his enthusiasm.

With the decision finalized, the crowd dispersed, each dinosaur returning to their respective homes.

* * *

It was now nighttime. The stars twinkling in the sky glowed vibrantly, giving each part of the sky it's own unique shade. Whenever she looked at the night sky, she presumed it was all black, and there was no room for any other hue. But as she looked at it now, she could see that the starry skies were made of so many different colors and shapes — in the exact way that each dinosaur was made differently. Perhaps, they were all just stars in the sky.

She placed one hand on the outer wall of the cave, face illuminated by the moonlight. She walked out towards the ledge and sat down, her feet dangling freely above the ground below.

"I don't know if you can hear me," she began to say, to no one in particular, "But if you're there, I hope you can let my parents know that I miss them. And...I hope you can let _me_ know if they miss me as much."

Chomper watched her, his radiant red eyes sad and sympathetic. He sat down next to her.

"Hey," he said softly, "I'm sure your parents miss you."

Eva startled for a second, but relaxed when she realized it was only Chomper. She then sighed heavily, leaning back.

"I sure hope so. I feel so alone here...no one trusts me."

Chomper gently placed his hands on her shoulders, locking eyes with hers. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a glimmer of hope.

"I trust you," he said in a hushed voice, smiling.

"I know you do," said Eva, smiling slightly. "But...other than you, it feels like no one likes me."

"When I first came to the valley, I felt like that too."

Eva looked up at him, her mouth opening wide. "You did?"

Chomper fidgeted with his fingers, kicking one leg back and forth as he shyly looked downwards. "Yeah...even now, not everyone trusts me. But it's gotten better! It'll just take a while. But you'll see, everyone will start to be nicer to you eventually. I promise."

"Do you really think so?"

"I _know_ so," Chomper said with a confident grin. "And you aren't alone. You've got me, and the rest of the gang."

Eva smiled and nodded along. "Thanks, Chomper."

Chomper gave a gentle laugh, flashing a toothy smile. "No problem."


	27. Chapter 27: Remorse

**Wow, this chapter is long,,, but it's important! It focuses on the rainbow faces, but mainly helps to show why Tristan is such an insecure and anxious mess. hope you guys enjoy! And as always, please leave feedback! Thank you!**

* * *

Mackenzie soaked her hand in the small and shallow pond, her eyes following the shimmering swimmers moved about the water, living their own mysterious lives. Her mind was running rampant with thoughts. Not a day had passed where she wasn't ridden with guilt about the events that originally prompted her and her family to make the journey to the Great Valley.

A light splash of cool water suddenly brought her out of her in-depth musings, followed by the sound of playful giggles. Mackenzie shook the droplets of water off of her face and looked down at what had caused the splash.

It was little baby Sophie. Mackenzie smiled, and lowered her head towards the smaller rainbow face.

"Hello, Sophie. It's nice to see you here."

Sophie giggled, and continued to splash around in the water, her tail waving from side to side. In that moment, Mackenzie was fairly certain that she understood what the fuss over hatchlings was all about. Something so precious and fragile simply had to be protected.

Soon, Andy came and lifted Sophie by her tail. Sophie squealed, her huge eyes gleaming as she looked up curiously at her father.

"That's enough playtime for you, young lady," he said as he grabbed on with his flat teeth.

Mackenzie recognized him. He and his mate hatched Sophie some time back. Amelia had asked Mackenzie to be present, but she, at the time, had refused. Now, she wondered what had become of his mate, and more importantly, how he was holding up.

After she watched him leave, she spotted her mother standing next to her from the corner of her eye.

" _Beautiful day, isn't it_?"

"Hey, mom." She reverted her gaze back to the pond, continuing to dip her hand in the warm water.

"Is something the matter, dear?"

Mackenzie didn't respond for a moment. She would have to choose her words carefully. "No...I just have a lot on my mind."

"Oh?" Amelia was intrigued, and sat down beside her daughter. "Well, tell me what you've been thinking about."

"And tell me too," added Tristan, who sat down on the opposite side of his daughter. "You can tell us anything. Talk to us, Mackenzie."

Mackenzie groaned silently. There was no getting out of this now. She would have had better luck had she just lied and said everything was fine. Then again, they most likely would have seen right through her.

"Well...okay. You know the fast biter attack back where you guys used to live?"

Tristan and Amelia nodded, looking directly at Mackenzie.

"Um...well, that attack was my fault— I—"

Mackenzie cut herself off to gather her words. She had initially thought that she could manage a clear and solid explanation but soon began to trip over her own words, stuttering and stammering.

"I-I accidentally grabbed the attention of some fast biters, I didn't mean to, I swear. I got scared and ran. I led them to everyone...it's _my_ fault that they came there in the first place, and it's my fault that so many members of your herd have died. I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, I just couldn't take the guilt anymore, please don't hate me."

Tears sprang to her eyes as she gazed at her father. "Dad, I'm _so_ sorry..."

Tristan's harsh brown eyes softened. This all came as a huge shock to him, but he couldn't bear to see his little girl cry.

"Don't cry, darling." He pressed his snout to hers. "It's alright. Hush now."

"We don't hate you," said Amelia, craning her neck to rest her head on that of the younger rainbow face's.

"Mackenzie, you are still young, younger than you believe. Seeing those fast biters chase after you, it's only natural for you to run away towards a larger group." She pulled away, locking eyes with her daughter. "What hurts me is that you thought you could never tell us about this. Mackenzie, we are your parents. We will love you, no matter what."

Tristan smiled and gave a concurring nod. "That's a promise. Now...you're a big girl, aren't you?"

"Mhm," Mackenzie said tearfully.

"Good. Please stop crying and let's move past this, okay? You can do that for your dear old dad, can't you?"

He used his snout to wipe away her tears. "We're very glad you told us, and we love you. But please talk to us, don't ever think for a moment that you can't speak to us. We want to know if you're in pain so that we can help. Okay?"

"Okay," repeated Mackenzie, whose relief washed upon her like waves upon the sand. She was always very lively and full of energy, but now, it seemed that a huge burden had been lifted from her shoulders, allowing joy to shine through.

"And I know that I might seem intimidating," Tristan said in addition, "That's alright, I understand if you don't want to speak to me about your problems." He looked over at Amelia. "Your mother is the most compassionate and caring creature I know. She's very wise, and if not me, you should speak to her."

Mackenzie could see how much her parents adored each other from the way they peered into each other's eyes at that very moment. She sniffled, and allowed her remaining tears to fall.

"I will," she finally said.

Amelia and Tristan both took a moment to prod her with their snouts at the same time.

"We love you, dear," said Amelia.

"Remember that," added Tristan.

"I love you guys too," replied Mackenzie, gratefully embracing their loving gestures.

They sat together without saying a word until Tristan interrupted the silence.

"Amelia?"

"Hm?"

"We should get going. We promised the little ones a story today."

"Oh, that's right." Amelia stood up, Tristan briefly following suit. "Come, Mackenzie."

"Okay." Mackenzie hooped up, running to catch up with her mother and father.

* * *

The sound of chatter filled the air, and Amelia hesitated to raise her voice in order to silence everyone.

"Everyone, quiet!" Tristan's voice boomed, causing silence to fall.

Miriam swallowed the tree star she had in her mouth. "What kind of story are you going to tell us, mom?"

"Well, what kind of story would you like to hear?"

"One about you and dad!"

Amelia tok a moment to clear her throat. "Well...I'm afraid you'll need to be more specific than that, dear."

Mackenzie spoke up when Miriam found herself unable to narrow her choices down. She chose a topic that had been on her mind often as of late.

"Did you and dad ever fight with each other?"

"We fight all the time," said Amelia, "You know that."

"Yeah, but has it ever been really bad?"

Amelia looked towards Tristan, who knew exactly what was runsung through her head. He smiled knowingly, and gave a nod.

And so, Amelia began her tale.

* * *

The tree sweets were almost in bloom. Tristan's mouth was curved into a tight frown.

"Molly, _where_ is Michael? He said he was going to be here."

"He's coming," replied Molly, scanning the horizon.

Amelia laughed, throwing her head back and rubbing Tristan's chin. "He'll come. Just have a little patience."

"Ugh." Tristan leaned against an old, moss coated log. "He always makes us wait for him. We're going to be late again. Why don't we just ditch him—"

" _Get down_!"

Tristan looked up, narrowing his eyes in confusion. "What?"

"Get down!" The voice was louder this time, and recognizable. A bit childlike, deep, and constantly cracking like the voice of a pubescent hatchling — it was Michael.

"Get down, get down, _get down_!"

Michael came into view, running with pure power. On his tail was a herd of longnecks who seemed to have been startled into a stampede.

The three rainbow faces were wide eyed.

" _Michael_!" Molly scolded before ducking for cover, Amelia and Tristan doing the same as well.

When the longnecks had passed and it was safe to rise, the rainbow faces did so.

Molly hit Michael on the shoulder. Not too hard — just enough to make him wince.

"What did you do?"

"Try and guess," said Michael, seemingly proud of the fact that he'd very nearly gotten them run over.

Tristan scoffed. "We don't have time for this. Come on."

Michael pouted at his friend. "Aww, are you upset because you won't get as much time with Amelia now?"

Tristan scowled at Michael, lunging for him and pinning him to the ground.

Michael snickered. "You're such a baby."

"Technically speaking, I'm older than _you_."

"Doesn't matter what anyone else says, you'll always be a baby to me."

Tristan narrowed his eyes, and prepared to spit on Michael's face.

Michael's eyes widened in horror as he tried to wriggle free. "No, no," he begged, "Don't, don't. Come on, don't! No, no, no!"

Amelia finally intervened, locking her arms around both of their heads, frowning as if she were a disappointed mother trying to pacify her combative children. "Hey, will you two knock it off?"

"Michael started it," argued Tristan.

"Sorry that I hurt your feelings, you big baby."

Tristan prepared to throw a punch, but Amelia knocked both his and Michael's head together.

"I said knock it off. If you two can't act your age, well, Molly and I will just head home right now without either of you."

Molly, who had hardly been paying attention at all, looked up when she heard her name. "What?"

"Fine," Tristan muttered reluctantly. "Sorry, Michael."

"...Sorry, Tristan."

With that resolved, the quartet headed off towards the nearby falls, which had been their original destination until Michael decided he had to make a pitstop.

The cold times had ended and the snow was melting, giving way for the grass and various other plants. Some areas had not completely thawed out yet, however, leaving behind trails of snow and ice.

The dinosaurs slid across the icy ledges and into the water, racing across to see who could get to the other side first. Shockingly, it was Amelia, who'd gone underwater to surprise them. As they climbed onto the dry land, they all shared a laugh.

Just beyond the hill in front of them were the falls, although the hill was surprisingly steep. But where there was a will, there was a way. Not to mention the arguable fact that the hill wasn't impossible to climb. They eventually made it to the top, and ran down to join the others in the connected bodies of water.

This was Tristan's first time coming here since his last visit with his parents, and he was pleased to find that the place was still as lively as it once was. He still recalled every detail; the roaring waterfalls which led to the smaller waterfalls towards the end of the stream, and even the bright circle shining above, and the hot springs below.

"We're here!" Announced Amelia, laughing. "Come on, Tristan."

Tristan recognized many of the rainbow faces there. He saw Bruno and Aurora, and even Hazel and his mate. Michael and Molly splashed around happily in the water like they were kids again.

Amelia knew Tristan was not the most social, and led him away from all the commotion, to a warm spring in which the both of them could relax and release the tension within them. When Amelia felt the warm water soak her body, it seemed to numb all her pain. She breathed a deep sigh, and rested her head on the soggy grass.

Tristan rubbed his snout against her cheek, wiping away some specks of dirt that had collected on it.

"Are you sure you don't want to join the others? You don't have to stay if you don't want to."

"I'm not about to leave you behind," said Amelia. "If you're going to stay here, then I'm going to stay with you."

Tristan smiled at her reassurance, and rested his head on top of hers. They didn't speak to each other, but they'd never been closer. They closed their eyes and enjoyed the silence.

" _Diana_! _Di, no, don't_!"

Amelia and Tristan looked up to see Andy and Diana at the very top of the high waterfall. The most likely scenario would be that Diana was teasing him, as she always did.

"How did they get all the way up there?" Asked Amelia.

"It's Diana," replied Tristan. "The woman is a beast."

"Right," agreed Amelia.

" _DIANA_!"

Diana had gotten a grip on Andy and jumped off the top of the roaring waterfall, her arms still coiled around him. Andy, absolutely terrified for his life, never stopped screaming.

They landed in the stream with a loud splash, water landing everywhere. They resurfaced a few moments later, Andy spitting out the water he'd inhaled.

"Don't— Don't you think we're getting a bit too old for these games?'

Diana grinned, splashing him with water. The two erupted into laughter, embracing each other as they played together.

Amelia and Tristan remained as they were until the bright circle began to retire for the day and made way for the glowing night circle. They climbed out from the warm water of the spring, the moonlight allowing them to see their way home.

Tristan shook himself dry, giving his tail an extra shake to get all of the water off. Then, he turned to Amelia. "Will I see you tomorrow? Where we planned to meet?"

"Of course," said Amelia. "And next time, we'll be alone. I promise."

Tristan permit himself a smile. He didn't quite mind the others, but just once, he'd like some solitude with the one most important to him.

"Would you like me to walk home with you?" Amelia asked.

"No," responded Tristan. "I'm fine, thank you. You should go sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Alright. Well, I'll be going now."

"Get home safely."

"I will. Goodnight."

The next day, Tristan laid in a patch of tall grass as he waited for Amelia. Initially, he would make up excuses for her. Perhaps she was running late. However, as the day went on, he came to realize that this wasn't the case.

He and Amelia had been together for a little over a year, and he had the utmost faith in her. She didn't seem to him like the type to leave someone hanging. It just wasn't like her. A voice inside of him told him that something might have been wrong, that something was causing her to flake out on him, but Tristan didn't bother to listen to his conscience.

When he spotted her drinking from the lake later that sand day, Tristan was unable to control his anger. He approached her quickly, his strides heavy. His insecurity fueled the fire inside of him, making things even worse.

Amelia turned to face him, her eyes moist. "Tristan, I—"

"Where were you? Do you know how long I was waiting for you?"

"I...I'm sorry."

Something seemed off with her, and Tristan noticed. Still, his anger overrode his conscience again.

"I was really looking forward to spending time with you," he growled. "If you don't want to spend time me, just say so."

"Tristan, I did—"

"Then why didn't you show up?"

"Something came up."

"What came up?"

Amelia seemed utterly shattered, broken. Her eyes barely traced his movement, and she could hardly speak.

"Amelia, what came up?"

Amelia's mouth quivered, tears brimming her eyes. Whatever happened, the mere thought of it was bothering her.

"Amelia, what's the matter?"

Amelia looked away, a tear rolling off of her lashes as she closed her eyes, dampening her cheek. "It's...personal."

For some reason, this exacerbated his anger.

"Fine," he snapped. "If you don't want to tell me, don't. Clearly, we don't have the emotional connection I thought we had."

His words stung. But she was in such a bad way that she couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

"Amelia!" Her father's voice called. "Come inside."

Amelia looked to her father, then at Tristan, who stood there, fuming.

"Just go," he spat, storming off.

Amelia watched him get further away, her eyes dejected and sad. Once he was gone, she walked towards her father.

"How is she? Is...Is she getting any better?"

Her father sighed sadly. "I'm afraid she's still the same, but we'll see how she is in the morning, Come on, it's time to sleep."

Diana and Andy had put off going home to spend more time with each other. At the current moment, they were at their spot — a shady tree on top of a grass covered rock which protruded from the edge of a cliff.

"Andy," she giggled, her teal eyes glowing as she smiled. "I need to go home."

"Why?" Andy pulled her closer to him, taking in the sweet scent of the trees and plants around them. "You live alone."

His words caused the smile to flee from her face. Even if she'd made the most wondrous friends and had a caring mate, she still felt deeply saddened by the fact that she had no living family.

Andy noticed the sudden change in her demeanor. It seemed that he only ever opened his mouth when it wasn't appropriate. He gently nudged her with his snout, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't apologize," she said, standing up and gazing at the green land below them. "It is the truth." She mulled quietly for a minute before turning to him. "At least I have you, and our friends. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Andy offered her a kind smile and allowed her to lean against him. As his eyes wandered, they landed on Tristan, walking sullenly across the field.

"Di, look. It's Tristan."

Diana pulled away, peering over the edge. "He looks upset. I'm going to talk to him."

"I'm coming with you."

The two rainbow faces ran downhill towards their friend.

"Tristan!" Diana caught up to him easily, while Andy had to wait until they stopped to catch up.

"Tristan," he gasped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he murmured, directing his gaze towards the night circle. "Except that I think my relationship with Amelia might be over."

"What?" Diana asked incredulously. "Why would it be over?"

"She flaked out on me earlier today. She stood me up. And when I talked to her about it, she just...I don't know. She seemed off."

Diana stared at him silence, waiting for the right moment. Then, she smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" Tristan's hands flew to his head. "What was that for?"

"Idiot," she snarled. "Amelia never meant to stand you up."

"Then why did she?"

"Her mother is sick! Alice might be _dying_! She couldn't explain herself because she was in no condition to do so."

Tristan was stunned, his body seemingly frozen. "What?"

"Tell me, when you talked to her, what was your tone?"

"I was— _oh no_..."

"What?"

"I yelled at her..."

Diana was shocked at first, but her surprise quickly turned to annoyance. "See? You snapping at her made it worse. She's going through a tough time, you need to be there for her, not yell at her."

"Well, how would I know? She never told me! She couldn't even form a proper sentence!"

"I understand, and you need to tell her that. But you also need to tell her that you're sorry and that you love her."

Tristan looked at Diana strangely, as if she were out of her mind.

"What? You love her, don't you?"

"Well, yes—"

"Then, tell her. Tell her how you feel about her, don't wait for her to say it." Diana inhaled, and then exhaled. "She reassures you all the time...now, it's your turn."

Tristan paused, and then nodded. "She does...and I turned my back on her."

He regretted everything. If he'd only known, it would have saved him a whole lot of trouble. The worst case scenarios came to mind. He didn't want to lose her. Ever since the death of his parents, Amelia had been like a rock for him to lean on. She helped him feel more at ease, she never saw him as a burden. With her, all his fears seemed to dissipate. She was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that was in no way a romantic notion — it was solid fact.

Tristan briefly walked around in a circle a few times before returning to Diana. He looked lost, as if he'd suddenly forgotten which way was left or right. "I have to go..."

"Well, don't go now," spat Diana.

"Seriously," agreed Andy. "They're sleeping. Amelia's had a rough day, and you didn't help things one bit. Chances are she won't want to talk to you right now. Let her rest and talk to her when you see her tomorrow."

They had a point. If he went now, Tristan would most likely make matters worse and create more problems.

"You're right. I think I'll just talk to her when I see her tomorrow."

"Good," said Andy.

"Well...goodnight."

"Night, Tristan."

Tristan continuously watched the bright circle in the sky, waiting for the appropriate moment. He didn't want to go as soon as it rose, for he would seem far too desperate, even if he was.

At midday, he rushed to Amelia's home. He stood at the entrance, calling out to her.

"Amelia, it's me! I need to see you."

Arthur was inside, tending to his wife. He peered towards the entrance of the cave, and stepped out.

"Good morning, Tristan. Amelia's not here."

"Good morning, sir. Do you know where she is?"

"She couldn't be too far. Why? Do you want to talk to her?"

"Yes. I need to fix my mistake."

Arthur breathed a sigh, visibly one of relief. "I'm glad."

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not. Just disappointed in the both of you. But I'm glad that you still love my daughter."

"Of course I do."

Arthur kept a rather brief silence. "When Amelia told me what happened, I wasn't angry. I was just disappointed in how poorly you both handled it. Tristan...there's _no one_ better for her than you. I've never seen her as happy as she is when she's with you."

"Really...?"

Arthur nodded. "Yes. You two are good for each other, I can see it. But you have to promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"...You won't let a petty argument ruin what you two have. Anger will get you nowhere, believe me. I just...I want to know that you'll take care of her, and she'll take care of you. All I want is for you two to be happy. So, you can't let anger cloud your judgement. Can you promise me that?"

Asking Tristan to not get angry was akin to asking a sharptooth to stay away from meat. But he understood that Arthur was not asking him to cease his anger, for even the calmest dinosaurs lost their temper eventually, and anger was a natural emotional reaction. Amelia's father was asking him to not let his anger blind him so much that he lost sight of what was important.

"I can try," he finally said.

"Thank you, son."

"Of course," Tristan said with a nod of his head. "Uh...how's Alice?"

Arthur looked back at his wife, a ghost of a smile lingering. "She's doing alright now, thankfully. We weren't sure if she'd make it, but she's stronger than we all thought."

A smile creeped onto Tristan's face. "Reminds me of someone I know."

Arthur knew who he was referring to, and offered a chuckle of his own.

"Well," Tristan said resignedly, "I'm going to go look for her."

"Good luck."

Tristan set off, and found her much quicker than he anticipated. She was sitting near some tall grass, casually munching on some leaves.

"Amelia?" Tristan maneuvered his way over the tall grass, approaching her.

Amelia startled, rising to her feet. "Tristan, I—"

Tristan stared at her a moment before breaking down completely. He didn't even let her finish her sentence. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"You _know_ what. Amelia...why didn't you tell me?"

A flash of recognition appeared in her eyes. "I don't know. I wanted to, but I was so upset that I couldn't. And you seemed so angry, it made me afraid to even try to explain myself."

"Well, I'm sorry for getting so angry. I didn't mean to. I could see that something was bothering you, but...I panicked. I'm sorry."

Amelia sighed. "I just...I wish you would have had a little more faith in me before jumping to conclusions. You know I would never do that to you."

"I know," Tristan whispered. "Amelia, I...I love you. I'm in love with you."

"No, you're not," she said, her voice cracking. "You wouldn't have gotten so angry if you were. You're lying."

Tristan tilted his head. "You know I'm not," he said firmly. He brought his snout to hers, letting her tears fall onto his scales.

"...Listen to me. I jumped to conclusions, I made assumptions. I was wrong. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. Please, come back to me. Please."

Amelia could see the sincerity in his eyes, and hear the desperation in his voice. Still, she had a clear idea in her mind of what she wanted from him. She turned away from him, crystalline sea blue eyes gazing out towards the distant mountains.

"My confidence is just so much lower than it was," Amelia finally admitted.

"I really do love you, Amelia. I'm so sorry for being so insensitive. I...I was scared of losing you, and I reacted wrongly. I'm sorry."

Amelia smiled softly, closing her eyes and giving a contented sigh. "It's alright, Tristan. You are forgiven. And…I know you love me. I never doubted it, because I love you too. It's just...you need to think before you speak."

Tristan melted in her embrace, sighing softly. "I know. I'm sorry."

The two dinosaurs were completely oblivious of their surroundings, lost in each other.

Not having an inkling of what commenced between them, Michael nonchalantly approached the pair. "Hey Tristan, we're going back to the falls. You want to come?"

Tristan heard some of what he said, but for the most part, tuned him out and ignored him. To him, no one else existed other than Amelia.

Molly wrapped an arm around Michael's. "Let them be," she said calmly. "Let's go."

She and Michael left, leaving Amelia and Tristan to remain in their own blissful world.

* * *

"And the rest is history," Amelia finished off.

The juvenile rainbow faces were wide eyed, struck with astonishment. After a few seconds of quiet murmurs amongst each other, Molly appeared at the entrance of the cave.

She looked as if age hadn't had a proper night's sleep in days. She stood hunched over, dark circles under her eyes.

"Gabriel, Adam," she murmured quietly, "Time to come home."

The two male rainbow faces seemed uncertain at first, but Amelia urged them to go home.

"Boys, listen to what your mother says," she implored.

"Come on, Adam." Gabriel said, uncrossing his legs and walking towards his mother. He gave her cheek a gentle nuzzle, smiling sweetly before heading on towards home.

Molly waited patiently for Adam. Once she saw that he was scrambling quickly towards her, she turned tail, accompanying her son as the two strolled home, together.

Tristan came up beside Amelia, who watched her friend depart. She'd never seen Molly fall so low. Tristan glanced at his wife, a saddened frown on his face. Seeing how miserable Molly was without Michael only cemented his love for Amelia. He already knew that if Amelia were to pass on before him, he wouldn't make it. The grief and pain would be too much for his poor heart to bear.

Mackenzie felt a sharp pang in her chest. Ultimately, Molly was in the state that she was in now because of what Mackenzie did. Suddenly diminished by an onset of low self-worth, the rainbow face disappeared into another section of the cave.

Both Amelia and Tristan knew very well what prompted Mackenzie's sudden retreat. They decided not to push the issue, and simply allowed their daughter to sort out her feelings herself.

Miriam began to follow her sister, but Amelia put a hand out in front of her. Miriam looked up at her mother, who silently shook her head.

"Leave your sister alone," she commanded gently. "She needs some time by herself."

"But what's going on?"

"...She will tell you when the time is right."


	28. Chapter 28: Fulfillment

**Hello, everyone! This week has been _really_ hectic, but I managed to get this chapter up! It focuses on Sierra and how he deals with things, and also offers a backstory on him and Danielle. The next one will focus on Rinkus, just because he deserves love and because there's a huge contrast between their characters. So, watch out for that. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and as always, please leave a review or some kind of feedback. Thank you guys and have a great week!**

* * *

The brown flyer looked on sadly at the faded hand drawn picture of what looked like two flyers made from remnants of soot on the cave wall. He knew very well what the illustration was supposed to convey. Him and the flyer who was supposed to be his wife.

He stared at the cavern wall for a long, long time. The pain in his eyes was clear — it seemed like a mix of sadness and anger, like a forest fire being mellowed down by sky water.

Suddenly, the pain of losing the only thing he loved seemed fresh. But then again, it had never really gone away. It was simply buried under layers of resentment. Resentment for everyone and everything.

Sierra ran a hand over the drawing, smudging it even further until the depiction of the flyers blurred, like a memory long past. He didn't want to remember any memories the picture would bring back. It reminded him too much of Danielle. Yet, he couldn't stop staring at it. All he could hear was her voice. Even after all this time, he still remembered her voice — that calm, melodious voice that could lull someone to sleep.

 _I can't wait to begin a life with you, Sierra. We're always going to be together, right?_

 _You bet we are, sweetheart._

That was the conversation that took place when she and Sierra first moved into the cavern he was currently lingering by. Just then, he remembered. He remembered the day he first began to trust her, the day he fell in love with her. The day he finally understood what love really was. The feeling of being completed by another.

* * *

It was the afternoon after days and nights of endless sky water. During the days of sky water, Mrs. Farrah educated the young ones about the many dangers of the outside world, and how they could prepare themselves. Her students were young, but still old enough to venture out on their own. She split the group four ways — the clumsy Randy with Tress, someone who would keep him on task. Kyra with Pterano, as they made the perfect pair. Rinkus with Alexandra, who with their speed and agility, worked excellent together. And lastly, the kind and demure Danielle with Sierra, a brash and ill-mannered flyer.

Danielle had several qualms, all of which she chose not to voice out of respect for her teacher. She agreed with Mrs. Farrah — Sierra did have potential. He was quick and clever, and he had ability. But Sierra chose not to utilize it. Instead, he was lazy and rude. She expressed this to him before, which was how he knew what was on her mind.

The entire duration of the journey to their designated spot, Sierra complained about just how stupid the lesson was, about how he just wanted to go take a nap, and how they would never end up having to do this in reality. Danielle did not respond to any of his complaints. Rather, she simply nodded her head as she averted her gaze.

Soon enough, they reached an area with more cliffs and rocks rather than open land. They examined the rocky cliffs. Simultaneously, they both realized — they were trapped. Surrounded by stone, they were in quite the predicament. Danielle was a very weak flyer. She would never make it over the rocks. Sierra could have just left her there, but he knew Mrs. Farrah would tell his mother, and Sierra would never hear the end of it. So, he didn't.

However, his patience was quickly wearing thin. And so was Danielle's. Her fear was quickly being replaced by anger, but she didn't lash out. Eventually, she stopped making attempts to fly, which angered Sierra further.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't do it. It's too big for me to get over."

" _Great_. This is just perfect!"

He would never admit it, but he fancied Danielle. She was kind and quite easy on the eyes. She was as delicate as the rarest tree sweet. He only wished she wouldn't shy away from him so much, but there was no denying that that was his own fault.

"There's no point in yelling, Sierra." Her voice was somewhat deep, but instilled a sort of calmness. She reminded him of his mother sometimes. Did no harm, but took nothing from no one.

"Well, what do _you_ suggest we do, huh?"

"Wait for help," Danielle suggested calmly. "They'll notice we're gone."

"Fat lot of good that does us! They'll never find us down here!"

Danielle sighed, walking off into a nearby cave.

"I hear there's going to be some sky water later," she said.

Sierra remained standoffish. "Yeah, and?"

"I'm just saying, I wouldn't want to be out there when it hits."

"I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

Danielle didn't quite believe him, but it wasn't as if she could force him to come inside.

Sierra passed the time by kicking tiny pebbles into the nearby lake, watching them skid across the water. He would occasionally glance back at Danielle, who had her back turned towards him. She looked to be sleeping peacefully.

At some point, ominous looking clouds began to loom. There were several loud claps of thunder preceding a visible crack of light blue lightning which signified the start of a storm. Water began pouring from the sky, producing a small pitter patter as it hit the ground.

Sierra wrapped his wings around his body, hugging himself as a breeze traveled through the air.

Danielle turned slightly, watching as Sierra shivered in the wind. She lowered her brows, folding back her wings as she approached him slowly. The slightest hint of concern shine in her azure eyes.

"Sierra," she began, "You can come inside. I don't want you staying out here in the cold."

"I'm fine," he growled.

"I know you're fine, but I would really feel a lot better if you would come inside."

"I ain't coming inside."

"Why not? What do you hope to achieve by standing out here? You'll just be cold and wet, or worse, you could get sick!"

"You're not my mom, okay? Now lay off!"

"I _won't_ lay off," persisted Danielle. "Just come inside, please."

Sierra clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. " _Why_ do you care so much?!"

"Because I care about _you_!" Danielle cried out, her voice audibly cracking and her eyes becoming moist. "I know that you have it hard at home, and I was trying to be nice to you, but I was wrong to think that you could actually swallow your pride and appreciate it. I wish I'd never been paired up with you!"

Without another word, Danielle tore away from him and flew off into the shelter of the cave.

Sierra was awestruck — both by how he'd managed to anger someone as sweet as Danielle, and how it became suddenly apparent to him that she didn't hate him as much as he thought she did.

Sierra had ruined multiple friendships over the years. The only reason Rinkus struck around for so long was because he had the same dry sense of humor that Sierra did. Every time Sierra drifted apart from someone, or someone was reluctant to approach him because of something he said, the brown flyer could hardly be bothered to do anything about it.

Not this time. He couldn't let her drift apart like everyone else. Sierra always found himself feeling much more pleasant when in her presence, and he genuinely cared for her. Even if they never had anything more than a friendship, he'd be content just being able to see her.

He decided to go inside the cave sometime after night fell. Danielle was already asleep, her tail curled around her petite body. Sierra's expression softened upon seeing her peaceful face. He used his claws to push some dirt out of the way, and made himself a makeshift bed near the opening of the dark cave. His yellow eyes were cast out towards the cliffs, keeping watch over both of them.

By the morning, the sky water had stopped. There were huge puddles reaching at least a foot deep scattered all across the grass. Danielle opened one eye, yawning. When she raised her head, she looked around and noticed that Sierra was gone. To her right, she saw a pile of leaves. To her left, were various assortments of fish.

Danielle rose to her feet, lowering her head and sniffing the fish. They were fairly fresh. Her stomach empty and begging for nutrients, she buried her head in the pile, snacking on a large silvery fish.

Then, the flapping of wings slicing through the air caught her attention. She pulled her head from the pile, curiously raising her brow. Cautious and quiet, she slowly inched outside.

"Sierra?"

Elsewhere, a little ways from the coves, Sierra was cornered by a large sharptooth flyer. On all fours, he slowly backed away, nearing the cave ledge. In an attempt to bring Danielle more food and show her that he wasn't actually as callous as he seemed, he raided the nest of another flyer.

The sharptooth flyer took a jab at him, and then another. Sierra was lucky, but with each attack, the beast's aim improved.

Sierra, as quick as lightning, continued to dodge the attacks. The sharptooth, startled by Sierra's sudden movements, became more aggressive. It pinned him to the cave wall, digging it's claws into his shoulder blade. Sierra, in pain and agony, screamed and managed to dive out of reach.

Panic flared in Danielle's eyes. Her pupils became dilated, and she dashed off.

Sierra scrambled across the ledge, disappearing into a small. The sharptooth flyer pursued him, relentless.

Danielle bounded towards the cave walls, beginning to climb. At first, it seemed she was stuck, just like before. Then, with a powerful burst of effort, she hooked her claw around the upper lip of the cove wall. She heaved herself over the top, and took to the air.

The flyer closed in on Sierra, making way to enter with it's large body. Just as it prepared to finish him off, Danielle swooped in, pouncing on it's back and digging her sharp and serrated teeth into it's wing membrane.

Danielle and the sharptooth flyer tumbled into the air, locked in a toothy, viscous fight. The sharptooth snarled as it pushed Danielle off.

Sierra, worried that she wouldn't be able to make a landing, grew panicked. "Danielle!"

Danielle landed on the wall of a cliff, crawling and clinging to it like a sand creeper. She then lunged for the monstrous flyer, screeching loudly in it's ear as she managed to slam it against the wall.

The sharptooth flyer relented at last, bellowing in defeat and dipping it's head before fleeing the scene. Danielle watched the creature depart. Once it was gone, she flew over to Sierra.

"Are you alright?"

Sierra's beak stood open in astonishment. "What was all that about? I didn't know ya could be so...y'know...fierce."

Danielle scoffed in amusement. "If you can be sweet enough to bring me food while I'm asleep, I can be aggressive enough to fend off a sharptooth."

Sierra grinned slyly for a moment before the realization suddenly struck him. "Hey! You got over the walls! And all on your own!"

Danielle grinned triumphantly, lifting her chin. "That means we can finally go home. I'll race you? I bet I could beat you…"

Sierra snorted contemptuously. "You wish."

And so, the two flyers spread their wings, waiting for the perfect breeze to be carried through the air. Once they could feel it, they took off, flying off into the warm afterglow of dawn.

* * *

There was an entire slew of reasons why Danielle's death ruined him, but one of the more significant ones was that she kept him steady, and helped maintain a balance in his life. When she died, his life was thrown out of balance. She fulfilled him. But no one ever understood that. And no one ever would.

His grief came in huge, turbulent, ever-present waves, and it did not get any easier as the days passed. Although he still forced himself to live each day, he couldn't convince himself to think any of it mattered. He'd lost a great deal of weight. He was gaunt. He was in trouble.

Rinkus, despite having a breakdown at least once in a short while, was handling things better. He'd never gotten over the loss of Alex, but he'd gotten used to it. It was his new normal.

He turned around to see his friend looking forlornly towards the landscape.

"Sierra, are you going to sleep?"

Sierra mumbled something incoherent, flying to a distant spot of the cavern, away from Rinkus.

Rinkus paused briefly. "Look. I miss Alex. There hasn't been a day where I haven't missed her. But I know that sulking miserably isn't going to do squat to bring her back."

"What's your point?" Sierra asked with an attitude, the clouds above overshadowing the very faint gleam in his eyes.

"My point is," began Rinkus, sitting upright, "Danielle is gone. Forever. And moping about it won't bring her back."

"I know it won't. And what's it to ya, anyway?"

Rinkus sighed, at a loss. "I'm just saying...Danielle wouldn't want you to be like this."

"Well, Danielle ain't here," Sierra spat, venom lacing his gruff voice.

"If only she was," Rinkus said with finality, turning around to return to his slumber.

"If only," Sierra mumbled. He knew Danielle wasn't coming back, and he was resolute — he didn't care if he was throwing away all the hard work he had accomplished over the years in order to improve himself. If the one flyer who fulfilled him most wasn't even there to witness his achievements, there was no point in it at all.

He felt dead. Physically, he was alive, but the flyer who had once been, died along with his love. His heart cold and empty, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, his only sense of peace. Hopefully, tonight, he would dream of her. If he could dream of her every time he slept, he would sleep forever.


	29. Chapter 29: For Her

**Hello, everyone! Here's a chapter about Rinkus, as promised. He's a very fun character to write, to be honest, and I love exploring his dynamics. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and have a great week! :)**

* * *

The petite pink flyer, as timid as ever, glanced at Sierra from the corner of his sharp eye, silently scrutinizing the brown flyer.

 _Probably moping about Danielle again_ , he mused silently. Sierra was essentially the only friend Rinkus had left, and the only flyer he ever spoke to nowadays, on the rare occasion they did speak to one another. It saddened Rinkus to think about how low he'd fallen. He used to be such a charismatic flyer with so many friends who admired him, blessed with a handsome accent that could make others swoon.

But life had beaten him down until he was completely and utterly broken beyond repair. He'd forgotten how to hunt with the same agility he once had, nor did he look at life with the same outlook he had years ago. He hardly felt sane anymore. Not only had he lost his love, he'd lost his brain.

He dragged his Claw across the dried soil, crushing a line of busy ants who had been unlucky enough to be in his way, leaving a trail of their squashed corpses.

Rinkus was hardly bothered. Those ants may have served a unique purpose in the grand scheme of things, but whatever happened, happened. If it became apparent that it was one's time to go, they could make no bargains. Such was the circle of life.

He recalled his parents, and their teachings. They were the best role models he could have in his life. The love they harbored for each other gave Rinkus a prime example of what love was.

Despite this, his parents seemed to have had completely different beliefs that clashed, but they made Rinkus who he was now. He would not fight unless he had to, but he was very cunning, and knew fully well when he could manipulate a situation to his advantage.

* * *

" _Us flyers don't sit around idly trying to think up ways to hurt others_ ," his mother would say. "If we need to fight, we fight. It's always been that way."

"But son," added his father, "While your mother is right, don't forget that in a world so full of danger, you must always be using your wits."

"That's right," his mother agreed. "No one can run away from the great circle of life, Rinkus. But many dinosaurs die young because when faced with danger, they don't know what to do. But if you are cunning, and know how to think on a whim, you will never be destroyed. At least, not before your time comes."

Rinkus gave his parents a blank stare.

"Do you understand, son?" Asked his father, absentmindedly sliding a hand around his wife's shoulder.

"I...I think so. May I go fishing with the others now?"

His parents glanced at each other, a knowing smile on both of their faces. His mother turned towards him, nodding her head.

"Just be careful, love."

Rinkus's face lit up as he spread his wings. He darted towards the end of the ledge, taking to the air.

The bright circle was high in the sky, it's blinding rays stretching out across the land like a cluster of exceptionally long arms. The landscape, covered in green, abounded with strange and bizarre looking plants, such as the tall ferns that looked almost like full grown trees.

Rinkus flew down towards the lake, landing on a slippery and wet rock. He dipped his head into the dirty swamp green waters, watching as the fish glided through the water. The moment one came within reach, Rinkus lunged for it. He slipped off the rock, falling into the lake.

Flapping his wings, he snapped at his intended prey, chasing it onto the rock. He watched as it flopped around, it's shimmering body deprived of moisture. Just as Rinkus climbed onto the rock, a lilac colored blur swept past.

"Wha— Hey!" The pink flyer looked up to see a lilac colored flyer soaring through the sky. She peered at him from above, her icy blue eyes glowing with false innocence, practically mocking him. It was Alexandra, no doubt. She had the type of shrewdness that could shame the most cunning of dinosaurs.

Rinkus narrowed his eyes, silently cursing the thieving flyer as well as his rotten luck. He returned to the skies, pursuing the other.

The lilac flyer quickly flew ahead, as fast as light. Rinkus was astonished by how swift and agile her movements were, however, it was nothing he couldn't manage.

He chased her through the falls and the narrow tunnels of the caves, until she managed to temporarily evade him by picking up the pace and passing through another intricate tunnel.

She flew out onto a cliff, resting to enjoy the food she'd stolen.

" _Finally_ ," she mused aloud, a contented sigh leaving her mouth.

She began to gulp the fish, but unfortunately failed to realize that the fish was positioned tail first, as opposed to head first — like it should have been.

The fish became lodged in her throat. Her eyes widened, and she began to gag, clutching and clawing at her throat. Her wings flapped furiously in her frenzy, loud squawks of panic filling the air.

Up on top of a cliff at a higher elevation, her friends were watching. There was Tress and Randy, whom she knew because her best friend, Danielle, knew them. The same applied to Kyra and Pterano, as well as Sierra, because of whom she knew Rinkus — somewhat.

"Hey," said Sierra, "Hey, Danielle. Look over there."

Danielle startled, looking in all sorts of different directions. "Huh? Wha—What?"

"The bright circle's barely up and already Alex had more 'n she can handle."

Danielle cast her gaze downwards, and her azure eyes softened with sympathy and worry for her friend when she spotted her. "Somebody should help her."

There were murmurs of agreement within the group, but no one actually flew down to Alex's aid.

Danielle sighed — this was nothing new to her. "Well, don't everybody fly off at once."

Just as she prepared to swoop down, an unmistakable pink flyer came into view. Rinkus landed in front of Alex, preparing to steal back his food, with the hope that she hadn't devoured it already.

He arrived to find her choking on it, struggling for breath. He wouldn't lie, he did care for her, despite her obnoxious antics. She was so aloof and carefree, that Rinkus himself often felt free when with her.

He rushed over to take a closer look. He couldn't be cunning in this situation, he thought. Or perhaps he could, but not the type of cunning where one had to outsmart one's enemies, but more so the type where one would have to be smart and find another way around their dilemma.

Rinkus suddenly remembered a method he'd seen the full grown flyers use on hatchlings who couldn't quite chew yet and accidentally ate more than they could swallow. Alex's skin gained an unnatural purplish tinge, so Rinkus acted quickly. He wrapped his hand around her stomach, curving one hand into a fist. Then, he repeatedly slammed his hands against her stomach until the fish flew out, half covered in saliva.

Rinkus released her, giving her a chance to catch her breath. Alex inhaled and then exhaled, trying to normalize her breathing. Once she had, she looked up at Rinkus, and her eyes bore through his.

"HOW _DARE_ YOU?"

"W-What?"

Alex frowned, gritting her teeth. Her voice was smooth and suave, yet it had a certain quality that immediately grabbed the attention of others.

"Everything was going perfectly. And now..." her breath hitched, and she prepared to raise her voice a few octaves, "...YOU DO THIS!"

"Alexandra," cried Rinkus, "I don't understand _what_ I did!"

" _Don't_ play coy with me,"she snapped, grimacing, "And _don't_ call me Alexandra."

"Would you please just tell me what I did?"

"I had this whole plan in mind," she explained, her voice lowering, "I was going to impress you, but no, you just had to swoop in and save my life like some kind of hero."

"You...wanted to impress me?" Rinkus pointed to himself, smiling bashfully. "So you do care about me! You...you _like_ me!"

A contemptuous and unamused scowl on her face, Alex rolled her eyes, opening her mouth slightly. Then, she offered a cynical chuckle.

"Don't push your luck," she snarled, followed by a brief pause as she looked away. "And...thank you for saving my life."

Rinkus grinned triumphantly, his hands on his hips. "You're welcome, my dear."

Alex forced a smile, laughing under her breath. "You're cute, Rinkus, but not _that_ cute."

She tore away from him, taking off towards the sky, leaving Rinkus in a cloud of dust.

* * *

Rinkus laughed to himself as he recalled the day, staring at the cave wall. Alex had been rather rude and somewhat of a snob when they first started off, but she came around eventually, and became someone Rinkus was proud to call his mate. However, her teasing him never changed, and Rinkus was glad of it. He was glad to have known her.

But because of her horrific fate, many things he used to enjoy, such as fishing, were now tied to the tragedy of her death. At least, for Rinkus, it was. But in his heart, he knew that his beloved Alexandra would never want him to refrain from doing something that brought the both of them so much joy. Everything he would do now, he would do for her. He would live on for her. He would keep trying for her. He would do it all, for no one else but her.

He turned and gazed up at the night sky, covered with dazzling stars, some stars shining brighter than others. Rinkus liked to imagine that the brightest star, the one that he saw every night in the exact same place each time, was Alexandra, as if she were watching over him. She had always strived to shine brighter than anyone else.

Rinkus didn't care if it was foolish or childish, or if others thought that there was nothing beyond death, that Alex was just dead and gone and that her absence was final. At the least, it gave Rinkus something nearly tangible to associate his fallen lover with. He reached his hand out, and then blew a kiss towards the sky, the glow in his dark eyes reflecting that he seemed to be in a faraway daydream.

"Goodnight, Alexandra— ah, um— I-I mean, Alex. Goodnight, Alex. I miss you, darling. I love you."


	30. Chapter 30: We Need To Talk

**Hey guys, here's another chapter with the rainbow faces (because there's a lot). This chapter's pretty long, but a lot happens in it. I hope you guys enjoy reading!**

* * *

"Let's go a bit further, Mackenzie," suggested Miriam, emerald eyes matching the hue of the tall grass, reaching up to her knees.

Mackenzie hesitated slightly. She put her foot forward, and then stepped back. "Miriam, wait."

Miriam turned, a curious look on her face. "Hm?"

"We need to talk." Mackenzie set herself down in a patch of grass.

Miriam was cautious, and proceeded to find the least itchy section of the grass to sit down in. "Okay..."

Mackenzie braced herself. She closed her eyes, breathing in, and then out. She opened her eyes, looking directly into her sister's.

"This is something that I've struggled a lot with," said Mackenzie, "And I'd appreciate you being kind and understanding about it."

Miriam raised a brow, surrounded by an air of suspense. "That depends. What are you going to tell me?"

"Well...you remember that fast biter attack? The one which made us come here?"

"Yes...? What are you trying to say, Mackenzie?"

"Well— I caused that attack. Not intentionally— it was an accident—"

"What?" Miriam stood up suddenly, taking a few steps back. "It was all _you_?"

"Wait, please let me explain—"

"What's there to explain?" Miriam's voice trembled. "Several rainbow faces are _dead_ — because of you."

Mackenzie sighed as if exhausted, annoyance filling her half-lidded eyes. "Yes, I _know_ ," she said. "... _Thank you_ for summing that up."

"I have to go," mumbled Miriam. "I...I need some time to think."

Mackenzie rose suddenly as well, reaching out. "Miriam, please, wait. Just listen to me."

Miriam continued to distance herself, and she did not listen.

Mackenzie was desperate. Miriam was her sister — they had been together since the moment they broke through their eggshells, and had never spent a day apart since. She didn't want any of that to go away.

"Miriam," she begged, "Miriam, just listen to me. I didn't mean it, listen— oh— for once in your life, WOULD YOU _PLEASE_ JUST LISTEN TO ME?!"

Miriam looked conflicted — she felt disgusted. Mackenzie looked and sounded so sincere, but Miriam doubted whether that was enough to make up for the catastrophe her actions had caused. After a moment's hesitation, Miriam left, plagued by a terrible mix of emotions.

Mackenzie could not stop the other from leaving, nor did she dare to try, in fear of making matters worse. Instead, she decided to head on towards her 'thinking spot', for lack of a better term.

She laid concealed under the shade of a fir tree, the light from the bright circle shimmering through the small spaces between the leaves. Some of the leaves slowly fell from the tree, landing in the pond below, creating gentle ripples.

Her eyes drifted downwards, watching as a light blue buzzer with silvery wings landed on one of the leaves pooling in the water. The buzzer watched the water for a moment, staring directly at a small group of small fish swimming about.

It waited for the right moment to strike — then, it lunged for the water, snatching up one of the fish from the group before flying away. It landed directly on Mackenzie's nose, where it made short work of the fish.

Mackenzie blew the buzzer off of her nose, frowning as it disappeared past the trees. Then, she looked down into the pond, where the fish were swimming as usual. She found it rather odd how one of their own had just been killed and devoured, and they didn't even take notice.

Amelia's footsteps crunched in the grass until she finally stopped right beside Mackenzie. She lowered her head, the image of the pond reflecting in her blue eyes.

"What are you looking at, dear?"

Mackenzie startled slightly, but relaxed when she realized it was only her mother. She looked up at her, and then back at the pond. "...Nothing, mom."

Amelia sighed, sitting down beside her. "What happened, love?"

Mackenzie seemed reluctant to say anything, but she was dying to tell someone, and there was no one better to tell than her own mother. She sat up, looking her mother in the eye.

"I told Miriam about..."

Amelia knew then what the problem was. Her eyes softened, and she traced her finger along her daughter's cheek.

"Oh, Mackenzie...Miriam is just in shock. I'm sure she doesn't mean anything she said."

"That's just it. She didn't really say that much. All she said was that several rainbow faces are dead because of me, which is true, and that she needs time to think."

Amelia nodded her head in understanding. "Just give her time. She'll come around."

"I sure hope so. I don't want her to hate me..."

"Mackenzie." Amelia grabbed her daughter's shoulders. "She does _not_ hate you. If she decides she's going to hate you because of a mistake that you made, she's got another thing coming, because I can point out every foolish thing she's done from the day she's hatched."

Mackenzie tried not to laugh, but a snort escaped her one way or the other. Amelia smiled, glad that she had managed to lift her daughter's mood, even if just a little bit.

"That's my girl." She touched her snout to Mackenzie's, giving her a tender kiss on the nose.

"Would you like to stay here?"

Mackenzie gave a shy nod of her head. "I just want to be by myself for a little bit."

"Anything you need." Amelia began walking away, and turned her head. "Just try to head back before it gets too dark, alright?"

Mackenzie nodded her head again. "Love you, mom."

"I love you too, dear," Amelia grinned as she reciprocated the words. Then, she turned and continued on towards her home.

* * *

The sky was bright blue, dotted with a small number of pink and orange clouds. It was now early evening, a rather lazy time of day for many residents of the Great Valley. Tristan sat inside, his head buried in a pile of leaves. He lifted his head, a bundle of leaves in his mouth which he slowly managed to swallow the very moment that Amelia entered.

Amelia trudged inside, seemingly worn down. That nagging pain in her side had been there for days, and showed no clear signs of abating.

Tristan was worried for her, but knew better than to push the issue. Instead, he waited for her to sit down before scooting closer to her and nuzzling her chin.

Amelia closed her eyes, tilting her chin a little ways upward and smiling. Soft giggles escaped her slightly parted mouth.

"Tristan," she mumbled in between laughs, trying to be serious, "Tristan, I need to tell you something."

Tristan lightly kissed her cheek. "Are you sure it can't wait?"

"Yes," Amelia finally managed to say in a tone that conveyed urgency.

Tristan leaned back, raising an anticipating brow. "What's the matter?"

"Miriam knows," Amelia said in a hushed voice.

"About Mackenzie...?"

"Mhm. From what I can see, she didn't take too kindly to it at all..."

Miriam was thinking far too intently to even listen to any part of their conversation, even the parts mentioning her. Facing the entrance of the cave, she still felt highly conflicted about her sister, and found herself at a turning point regarding her beliefs. Tired of dwelling on it, Miriam rose to her feet and faced her mother, and then sat back down again.

"Mom?"

Amelia acted nonchalant, munching on the stem of bipinnate leaf. "Yes, dear?"

"Do...Do you know what Mackenzie did?"

"You mean her accidentally leading a pack of fast biters to the herd? Yes, why?"

Miriam was taken aback. "Wait— you know about it?"

"Of course I do. She told me. And your father, too."

"And you aren't mad about it?"

"No, of course not. It was only an accident, after all."

"But...that attack...they killed Michael. They killed your friends. And Mackenzie led them right to us!"

Amelia sighed, swallowing the last of her bundle of leaves before walking over to Miriam and sitting down beside her. "Yes, bad things happened. I know that. But what you need to understand is that you and your sister are still young children. She panicked, as any child would in that kind of situation."

"But—"

"Miriam." Amelia's calming and gentle voice turned into one with a no-nonsense sort of tone, as though she were in no mood to argue. "I've always believed you to be very open minded, but right now, you're being quite the opposite. Your sister made a mistake. Yes, her mistake had disastrous consequences, but she's learned from it. She regrets it."

"I know," Miriam said with uncertainty, averting her gaze.

"Doesn't sound like it to me."

Mackenzie suddenly stood up, raising her arms. "Well, what else am I supposed to say? Don't you know how _bad_ this is, mom?!"

"Don't raise your voice at your mother, young lady," warned Tristan.

"I _do_ know how bad this is,"Amelia said quietly. "But I also know that Mackenzie's been struggling a great deal."

Miriam looked directly at her mother, eyes wide. "What?"

"She knows what she did was wrong, dear. She's still suffering for it."

Tristan rose and joined them, sitting on the opposite side of his daughter. "And as long as you don't put this past you, she'll continue to suffer."

"But, dad—"

"Miriam. Don't argue."

Amelia offered a stronger argument, as opposed to simply commanding her. "Listen. I know this is shocking to you, but regardl of what happened, this did not affect you personally. Everyone from our family is still here."

"That doesn't mean I can't be angry!"

"Your anger is perfectly valid, Miriam. I'm not saying it isn't. But I've always taught you about forgiveness and compassion, no matter the circumstances, haven't I?"

Miriam huffed. "Yes..."

"Then, please — just let this go. Don't let contempt fill your heart, otherwise, that's all that will ever be there."

* * *

Mackenzie rocked her feet back and forth in the water, Gabriel sitting beside her as he listened to her recite her story.

"I'm so sorry, Gabriel. Truly, I am."

For the entire duration of the time that she spoke, Gabriel refrained from interrupting her, nor did he feel the urge to do so. He gave her his undivided attention, and made sure to listen to her side of the story.

"Well," he began to say as soon as Mackenzie finished, "It's not really your fault. Those fast biters lived in that gorge, and no one really told you about that…I should have said something, at least."

Mackenzie huffed, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "I still led them to everyone."

"You were scared. Mackenzie, no one would expect you to be calm in that situation, especially since you were by yourself."

Mackenzie looked away. "Still..."

"Listen to me. This is coming from someone who's father was killed in that attack — you are _not_ the reason for anyone's death. You didn't kill anyone. The fast biters did."

Mackenzie stood her ground. She was adamant that she was completely culpable, that she was to blame. Gabriel could see this, and clasped her shoulders to grab her attention.

"I know you believe you're at fault, and while I don't agree, I know the only way you'll ever be able to move on from this is if you hear it." There was a short pause. "Mackenzie...you are _forgiven_. I _forgive_ you, and I still want to be friends with you...as long as you still want to be friends with me."

"Don't be daft!" Mackenzie delivered a light slap to his shoulder. "Of course I want to be friends with you..." She began to lean in closer, bringing him into a gentle embrace. "Thank you, Gabriel."

The pair walked off towards home. Gabriel was smiling at Mackenzie, bringing light to her face and forcing joyous giggles out of her. Miriam stepped out from the dimly lit cave, her eyes somewhat uneasy.

Amelia appeared behind her, gently nudging her forward. "Go on, dear."

Mackenzie waved goodbye to Gabriel as Miriam began to approach her. Her hands squeezed tightly together, Miriam's eyes held an apology.

"Mackenzie...can I talk to you?"

* * *

The sisters sat in a patch of pale pink and white flowers growing near their home. They sat close together, bonded at the hip. Miriam sighed, looking into Mackenzie's eyes.

"Mackenzie..." As she peered into those wild jade eyes, she could see the hurt. Suddenly, Miriam regretted every word she said about her sister. "...I-It wasn't your fault. You were just afraid, and I see that now, and I'm sorry."

Mackenzie said nothing, and stared at her sister, her eyes doing the talking for her. She looked sad, yet surprised.

The suspense was killing Miriam. "Oh, come on," she groaned, "Don't do this. Shout, yell, scream, please just _say_ something!"

"You really don't blame me...?"

"What?" Miriam was incredulous. "Of course I don't blame you. At least— not anymore. I mean, when you told me, I was just shocked...but mom explained it to me and I know now that whatever happened wasn't your fault."

Tears brimmed Mackenzie's eyes as she drew a few quivering breaths. "I...I just feel so awful. I saw Molly the other day, and she looked so sad and hopeless..."

Miriam slung an arm around her sister, bringing her closer. "I know. But those rainbow faces aren't dead because of you, Mackenzie. They're dead because of the fast biters. And in such an exposed area...they were easy targets."

That much was true. There had been little to no shelter apart from the caves, and even those were a bit taxing to climb. Many of the herd members hardly stood a chance against the agile fast biters.

Slowly, Mackenzie managed a nod. She still put much of the blame on herself, and it would require the passage of time for that notion to go away. But at the very least, she still had the love of her family.

* * *

Amelia and Tristan stood at the entrance of the cave, beaming with joy. The crimson golden hue of the sky had faded to a bleak grey, and the first showings of pale moonlight illuminated their faces.

"Oh, Tristan," Amelia remarked with a sigh, "I'm so glad they made up. Should we call them in for dinner now?"

"Best that we don't," Tristan answered softly, "They can come when they're ready. But _you_ should be lying down and resting."

Amelia disregarded him, keeping her eyes on her daughters as Tristan turned and went inside. Tristan marched over to their shared nest, stopping right by his wife's side of the bed of leaves. Lowering his neck, he used his snout to clean the area. He brushed away excess leaves and grass, creating a soft cushion. He then did the same for his side. Once he was finished, Tristan raised his neck and found that Amelia had yet to come inside.

He walked back out, and spotted a speck of dirt on Amelia's cheek, which he proceeded to clean with the tip of his snout.

"Honey," he said, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her inside. "Come on."

Amelia gave in at last, smiling at her children one last time. She ambled inside, Tristan watching her steadily make her way over to the nest. He then cast his gaze towards Miriam and Mackenzie, who still held each other. Offering a genuine smile, he turned and joined Amelia in the nest.

The night circle was well up in the dark sky, covered with millions and millions of stars. A light rustle traveled through the chilly nighttime air, sounding almost like a whistle.

Amelia and Tristan lay together, watching in fascination as the stars twinkled and shone. After a long silence, Amelia spoke up.

"Dear?"

"Hmm?" Tristan mumbled drowsily, having just closed his eyes, beginning to doze off.

"I'm worried."

Tristan opened one eye, yawning. "What about?"

Amelia turned her head slightly towards him, sea blue eyes glistening like the ocean on a sunny day. "I feel...I don't know. I feel like the girls don't quite need us anymore. I mean, they're able to resolve their own problems now, and I..."

"Don't be daft," snorted Tristan. "They still need us, and they know it. They're only teenagers, after all."

"I know. But they _are_ becoming more independent..."

Tristan opened both his eyes, lifting his head a few inches. "Love, they still need us. They especially need you. You were able to guide both of them in the right direction, which is why they've been able to make up."

Amelia sighed sadly. "I can only hope I've done my job well...goodness knows what they'll do when I'm gone."

Tristan gave her a strange sort of look. "Where is all this coming from? You're scaring me with this kind of talk...is everything okay? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Amelia gave a shake of her head. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just that you know as well as I do that anything can happen and neither of us will be here forever."

"True," agreed Tristan, "But is this what's been on your mind lately? Are you worried you're going to die? Or that something's going to happen to you?"

"A little bit, if I'm being honest," Amelia admitted, ashamed. "After what happened to Diana, and to Michael..."

"Oh, Amelia." Tristan tilted his head, his amber eyes showing a softness he only ever showed with her, and on some occasions, his daughters. "That won't happen. We're safe here, remember?"

"I know that, Tristan. But there are other dangers. _That_ is what worries me."

Tristan knew this. He knew that sharpteeth were not the only perils in the world. There were certain sicknesses that were just a lethal as a sharptooth. Truthfully, he often worried that he would one day fall ill and never recover, leaving his wife without a husband and his daughters without a father. It was his worst nightmare, and he was relieved to find he wasn't alone in all of this.

"I understand," he finally said, tenderly touching his gaily colored snout to hers. "But we all still need you. Especially me. So don't you even think about going anywhere."

Amelia gave an amused little chuckle. "I wasn't planning to."

* * *

Mackenzie and Miriam came inside, laughing and pushing each other against the cave wall. Tristan lifted his head completely, smiling amusedly.

"So. Everything's better between you two now?"

"Much better," exclaimed Mackenzie.

"I'm glad. But you should thank your mother for knocking some sense into you both."

"Thank you, mom," said Miriam, walking over to lovingly nudge her mother's cheek with her snout. Mackenzie did the same.

"By the way," Mackenzie added. "Dad is right. We _do_ still need you, mom. I think we always will."

Amelia craned her neck, chortling. "I don't like the sound of that...when _do_ I get a break?"

Mackenzie laughed, and nuzzled her mother once more. "Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight, dear."

The parents watched their children head over to their respective nests, waiting until they were fully in bed to finally rest their tired heads. Tristan could tell simply by looking into Amelia's eyes that the prospect of her own mortality was still bothering her.

"It's going to be fine, Amelia. I promise. Nothing will happen to you, or to anyone in our family."

"I know." Amelia shook her head lightly. "I'm sorry. I'm just a bit paranoid, somehow."

"It's quite alright." He rubbed her chin with his snout in an attempt to take her mind off of her current plight. "Just go to sleep now."

Amelia's eyes slowly closed, the night circle shining over her face. Tristan watched her body relax until it slowed down to an equilibrium of soft snores and the slow rise and fall of her chest. Wearing a content smile, he began to doze off, looked down upon by the watchful eye of the night circle.


	31. Chapter 31: A Very Hard Act To Follow

**Oof, this chapter turned out way longer than I expected! It's about the same length as some of the flashback chapters, despite there being no flashbacks whatsoever. Anyway, this chapter features a more flawed side of Amelia (since I tend to focus on her good qualities more for some reason). The gang of seven (or gang of eight in this specific case) play a big role in this chapter, and so do some of the other canon characters! It was a lot of fun for me to write, and it's pretty heartwarming, so I hope you guys enjoy! Please leave feedback and as always, have a good week!**

 **Also, just a note — I apologize in advance for all the horizontal line breaks and any gramatical or spelling errors that I may have missed,,,**

 **I've also been thinking about voice claims for characters in this story. As of right now, I have John Hurt as Tristan and Julie Andrews as Amelia, both of which I find very fitting.**

 **That's it for the author's note, thanks for listening to ramble, you may now proceed with the actual story. :)**

* * *

The pitter patter of sky water filled the cloudy skies, and the occasional rumble of thunder could be heard. The water dripped from the leaves, spilling onto the grass below, creating large puddles of filthy mud.

For most of the year, the Great Valley was a bountiful paradise. However, just like any other home, it had it's downsides. The cold times were trying and difficult, often creating inconveniences for the families of the valley.

Tristan and Amelia stood near the entrance of the cave, the clearing granting them access to the outside world. Moments after another rumble of thunder, a crack of lighting struck a large tree, pulling it from it's roots and bringing it tumbling to the ground.

Almost in complete unison, the two rainbow faces blanched, taking a step back.

"Well," said Tristan, scowling, "There goes our way out."

"Nonsense," replied Amelia, who walked up and gave the trunk of the tree a forwards nudge with her snout. After a moment of exertion, the tree was rolling down the small hill. She then padded back inside, shaking the water droplets from her tail.

"No need to show off," mumbled Tristan.

"It's not my fault that you're not as strong as I am."

Tristan, lacking a witty response, forced a chuckle.

Then, Mackenzie trudged over, looking up towards her mother. "Mom, when will the sky water stop?"

Amelia didn't quite hear her, as her attention had been previously occupied by something else.

"Oh, come now, Tristan," she crooned, "Stop sulking, will you?"

"Humph."

"Mom," Mackenzie called from below.

Amelia, seeing that Tristan wouldn't budge, shifted her attention to her daughter. "Yes, dear?"

"When will the sky water stop? I want to go outside."

"I don't know— where is your sister?"

"Sleeping."

"Still? It's the middle of the day!"

"Mm," hummed Tristan, "Not everyone gets up as soon as the bright circle rises like you do."

Amelia's furious glare could burn a hole through her husband's head. "Why are you trying to fight with me, Tristan? Did I do something?"

Tristan threw his head back. Then, he laughed. "I was only teasing, Amelia. Calm down. Why are you so on edge?"

Amelia sighed, closing her eyes. It had been a stressful few weeks, from Miriam falling ill to her continued tiffs with Tristan, to the fiasco with her daughters. While she was able to spend time with those she loved, she couldn't deny that she was growing more fatigued within the day, and would greatly appreciate some time to let herself go.

"...I know. I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright." He gave her a gentle nuzzle with his snout before licking some dust off of the apple of her left cheek.

Miriam awoke right then. She walked out, yawned, and licked her lips.

"You're _finally_ up," sneered Mackenzie, "For a minute there, I thought that you'd relapsed again."

Miriam smiled cynically, tilting her head towards the side. "I'm glad to see that you're back to your old self." Then, she mumbled, "Although, I didn't exactly miss it..."

"Well, I miss the way _you_ used to be. Didn't talk back as much."

"You're just upset because you can't bully me anymore."

"What?" Mackenzie asked incredulously. " _When_ have I bullied you?"

"Lots of times. I can count them on my fingers."

"Well, here's one." Mackenzie lunged for her sister, and the two became engaged in a playful show of kicking and rolling around on the floor.

"Girls, _please_ don't— girls, are you listening to me?"

Amelia looked down, tired and unimpressed. She hardly even flinched when they hit the ball of her foot while fighting.

"Girls..."

Miriam and Mackenzie paid no heed. Miriam giggled and begged Mackenzie to stop tickling her, but Mackenzie refused to relent. At some point during their playful roughhousing, they landed in a puddle of mud.

Tristan stepped back, evading the incoming shower of dirt and water muddled together. Amelia, however, noticed too late. The mud splashed all over her face and her backside, both of which were now a filthy brown rather than the vibrant green that others were used to seeing her wear.

The two adolescents stopped, looked up, and separated from each other. Mud was now dripping from Amelia's beautiful face.

She looked to her husband, an expecting and impatient expression on her soiled face.

"Oh— uh," stammered Tristan, "Girls, please don't do that again."

It wasn't until he uttered the words that he realized how awful and pathetic they sounded in comparison to what he could have said. When he looked at Amelia, she had a different expression, charged with reproach and disappointment.

Miriam tried to speak, to offer an explanation. "Mom, we—"

Amelia did not want to listen to any explanation they had to offer. On the brink of tears, frowning, she turned tail and stomped away into a nearby corridor. The rustling of leaves could be heard, and then, silence.

It was a rather rare occurrence for Amelia to be the one angry at the girls as opposed to Tristan. She had always been the level headed one, rarely ever turning to anger in the face of difficulty. Usually, it was her who had to be the one to comfort the girls when Tristan lashed out at them in his usual blind rage of worry and fear.

* * *

The bout of sky water lasted until the afternoon. However, the land was still moist and soggy, the storm having knocked down more than a few trees, and causing minor mudslides which cost some dinosaurs their homes.

Amelia, wanting nothing to do with her daughters or her husband at the moment, found herself staring longingly at the streak of colors painting the sky. She began to step out, when Tristan stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"To help clear the wreckage," she replied bluntly.

"Amelia, that's a job for dinosaurs like the threehorns and the longnecks. The trees that fell are _huge_. You could easily get hurt."

"That could happen to _anyone_ , Tristan."

"And it's a risk you're willing to take?"

"I live here. I might as well. Give something back in exchange for giving me a home, don't you think?"

"Well...I just came here to live peacefully with you and the girls without having to worry for your safety. I don't feel obligated to give _anything_ , really."

"Alright. That's on you, then."

"Amelia," Tristan sighed, "Please don't do this."

"Don't do what? Help clean up?"

"No...I'm saying to stop being so stubborn. Seriously, you're overreacting a tad bit..." For a minute, it seemed as if he had something else to say, but then, he closed his mouth.

Amelia waited for the response she anticipated, her eyes narrowing when she didn't receive it. She inhaled sharply, wordlessly leaving Tristan standing near the entrance of the cave.

* * *

Tria's large feet squashed the soggy grass as she planted them firmly on the soil, using all her might to heave a fallen tree away from where she and her family nested. Mud had wedged itself in between her toes, and still, her efforts were fruitless.

Amelia came strolling down the grassy hills, a slight rush in her steps. Tria looked up, and blue met blue.

"Good afternoon, Amelia," she greeted.

"Afternoon, Tria. I'm sorry for barging in here without any notice—"

"Oh, no, no!" Tria insisted, shaking her head. "I'm glad to have you here. At least I won't be alone."

Amelia nodded, and resolved herself to the task of picking up the sticks scattered everywhere. "So...may I ask why your husband isn't here helping you? Why are you all by yourself?"

"Oh." Tria averted her gaze, and heaved a sigh. "Topsy and I had another little...tiff. I was just suggesting that we ask for help from some of the two-legged dinosaurs in the valley. I don't know, I just felt like it would be a lot quicker, and it would get the job done...but he wasn't having it."

"I understand," said Amelia, kneeling down to pick up a pair of twigs, "Tristan didn't want me coming here because he thought I would get hurt...and he doesn't really believe in giving back to the community."

"Aren't you stronger than him in terms of physical strength, though?"

"I am. Which is why I found it amusing that he'd be worried. I think he just didn't want me leaving."

"Mm. I see. Men are so strange sometimes. They care about us, but they sure have a funny way of showing it."

Amelia burst into a fit of giggles. "That much is true. But...I don't know."

Tria, ho had briefly returned to her task, looked up in curiosity. "Hm? What do you mean?"

Amelia sighed, almost repressing the urge to open her mouth. "I feel like this is just selfishness, but...I do wonder if Tristan does love me."

" _Amelia_!" Tria scolded the rainbow face, her eyes wide. "How could you say that? Look, I'm no expert, but I know true love when I see it. And I've seen the way Tristan looks at you when you're together, and _that_ is love."

Amelia shook her head, holding her head in the palms of her hands. "I know. It's...awful. Perhaps, I'm just asking too much of him. But our arguments have been more frequent, and I can't really tell if he holds any regards for my feelings at all."

Tria could sense the distress in Amelia's calm and refined voice. "Why don't we sit and talk about this?"

So, Tria led her friend to a flat rock she could sit on. Amelia neatly set the sticks aside elsewhere and brought her knees to her chest, feeling the hot tears spring to her eyes.

"Let's talk about the specifics," said Tria. "Was there anything in particular that made you feel this way?"

"Earlier this morning, Miriam and Mackenzie accidentally splashed some mud on me. I'd told them to stop fighting, but they wouldn't listen...I was hoping Tristan would at least scold them. But...that didn't happen. He even told me I was overreacting to all of this. Now, I'm very calm and level headed, and I don't ever get angry that easily. But I swear, Tria, I wanted to punch him."

Tria clicked her lips, her baby blue eyes soft and understanding of her friend's plight. "Oh, sweetie. He doesn't mean any of that. He's just insensitive. Topsy's like that too."

Amelia whimpered softly, burying her face in her hands. "I'm just _so_ tired. No one will listen to me, and I feel so unappreciated. I thought that if I could reach a certain place, then everything would be alright and sort itself out. But I see now that it's not that simple."

"It's never simple," concurred Tria. "If it only it was, hm?"

Then, from behind them, Cera passed through the trees, her little sister sitting on the frill of her head.

"Tria, I'm back— huh?" She helped Tricia down to the soft grass before returning her intrigued gaze to the sight before her.

Tria was talking to one of the rainbow faces, whom Cera recognized as the mother of Miriam and Mackenzie. The threehorn's eyes were worried but gentle.

Cera looked to the rainbow face, who would occasionally let out a sniffle or two, her eyes moist and bloodshot.

" _I just wish he'd consider how I would feel_ ," Amelia sobbed, hugging her knees.

Cera wondered who 'he' was. The most likely scenario was that it was Tristan, which meant that Tristan and Amelia had been butting heads. Without another word, Cera made sure no one was following her, and disappeared into the shadow of the trees.

* * *

Tristan twitched and turned as he attempted to fall asleep in the nest of leaves and other vegetation. It was no use. He had grown so accustomed to feeling Amelia's body gently pressed up against his as he slept that trying to sleep without her beside him proved to be immensely difficult.

At last, he relented. Kicking a few leaves off of the nest, he padded outside. In the distance, he could spot the longneck family contentedly grazing on some tree stars in trees too high for other dinosaurs to reach. Scratching his side with his right leg, Tristan bounded across the valley. He slowed down at least halfway, not wanting to be completely out of breath by the time he made his entrance.

Kenneth and Linda were using their flat teeth to strip the tree stars from their branches, while Littlefoot snacked on a pile sitting at the foot of the tree. Tristan, who did not fancy striking up a conversation out of the blue, simply walked over to a nearby stream, and began drinking.

Kenneth bit down hard on a tree star, causing water droplets from the tree to fall, sprinkling Tristan with them down below.

"What the—" Tristan startled, and then shook himself dry.

Kenneth looked down. His eyes widened slightly, and he laughed before lowering his head. "Er, my apologies, Tristan. I didn't quite see you there."

"It's quite alright, Longneck." He swept the remaining droplets off of his arms with his hands. "How are you and your wife doing this afternoon?"

"We're fine, thank you," Linda said in her good natured way, smiling sweetly at the rainbow face.

Kenneth nodded his head. "And what about you, Tristan? How is your family?"

"The girls are fine, although...I'm fairly certain Amelia's angry with me."

Linda's smile vanished, replaced by a look of concern. "Why in the world would she be angry with you?"

"I don't know. We fight a lot, but it's rarely ever anything serious. And right now, she seems to be taking everything I say the wrong way, as if I'm attacking her outright or something."

Kenneth raised an eyebrow. "Have you and Amelia, uhm, talked about this?"

"No...not quite."

"Well then, my friend, there's your problem. Communication is key. It's why Linda and I get along so well."

"Not only that," added Linda, "But the poor dear must be feeling stressed out. Mothers have to take on so much, and get so little in return."

"She _did_ seem like she'd been feeling overwhelmed..."

"I don't blame her," said Kenneth. "Being a mother and a wife is a very hard act to follow."

Littlefoot had been eavesdropping on the conversation which didn't really concern him, but it wa rather interesting to listen to. Just as he resolved to stay and listen to the rest, he heard a whisper from the bushes.

"Pssst! Littlefoot!"

Littlefoot recognized the voice as belonging to Cera, and walked over, crouching behind the bush. "What is it, Cera?"

"I think Miriam and Mackenzie's parents are fighting."

"They _are_ fighting."

"How do _you_ know?"

"Their dad is telling my grandparents all about it. I think their mom is feeling stressed out."

"Well, we've gotta do something about it!"

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"Since when do you care so much about their parents?"

"Does it matter?"

"No...not really."

"Then let's go and find the others."

* * *

Ever since the arrival of the rainbow faces in the valley, Mr. Thicknose found himself keen on learning more about their species. However, the agile dinosaurs always managed to elude his gaze, somehow.

"The rainbow faces," he began, "Aptly named by their brightly colored snouts, have always been more...secretive, than other dinosaurs. They tend to keep to themselves, but despite that, they've always been known to be more open minded than some and more welcoming of other kinds of dinosaurs."

"I wish _my_ face was rainbow," remarked Eva, who sat beside Chomper.

Mr. Thicknose cleared his throat a moment before speaking. "Ahem...well, Eva, every dinosaur has something special about them. For the rainbow faces, it's clearly obvious that it's their, erm, rainbow faces. And for you, I would say that the sail on your back draws quite a bit of attention. Do you know what it might be used for, exactly?"

"Um...well, sometimes, when my mom or dad are really angry, their sails turn really red. It's kind of scary, but cool at the same time."

"That's _amazing_ ," said Ruby. "Can you actually do that, Eva?"

"Uh...not really. I can't. Not yet, at least."

Ducky watched as Spike took a bite from a thick patch of grass, giggling. Even after so many years, her adoptive brother's habits were highly amusing. She briefly looked up towards the rest of her friends. "I know what is special about Spike. Yep, yep, yep!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, getting louder and louder.

Petrie looked around, bewildered. "What that?"

Then, as if out of nowhere, Cera and Littlefoot burst through the bushes, breathless.

"Nice of you two to join us," said Mr. Thicknose. "Welcome."

"Actually, Mr. Thicknose," Littlefoot said rather sheepishly, "We came to get our friends."

"It's _very_ important," added Cera.

Mr. Thicknose sighed. "Very well," he said with finality. "Thank you for coming, children."

The juvenile dinosaurs all rose and dispersed, following their friends. Eva turned briefly to wave goodbye to Mr. Thicknose. Then, she too ran to catch up with the others.

"So," said Ducky, "What is the matter?"

"Miriam and Mackenzie's parents are fighting," explained Littlefoot. "We need to get them back together so that they can talk."

"Well," Ruby mused, "Do you know _why_ their parents are fighting the way they are fighting?"

"Their mom says she's feeling unappreciated and tired," answered Cera. "Or something like that."

"In that case, what they need is some place nice to gather their thoughts together," deduced Littlefoot.

Chomper gasped, an idea having occurred to him. "What about that shady place with the small river and the waterfall?"

Littlefoot grinned in excited agreement. "Yes! That's perfect!"

"But how we going to get them there?" Petrie inquired. "If they fighting, me no think they want to talk to each other."

Cera narrowed her eyes, thinking intently. Then, she grinned rather slyly. "I _might_ be able to do something about that."

* * *

Amelia and Tria had remained in the same place as they were previously. After Amelia was done sobbing and feeling sorry for herself, Tria brought her a whole leaf of purple sweet bubbles.

Their softness and sweet taste as well as their moisture proved to be the ideal snack that Amelia needed after crying for so long. She popped one into her mouth, and swallowed it. Soon, the number of sweet bubbles on the leaf began to steadily dwindle.

"So," said Tria, "How do you feel?"

"Better," Amelia managed to say as best she could with a mouth full of sweet bubbles. "But I don't want to see Tristan just yet."

"I understand. Take however long you need."

"Tria!" Cera's loud voice echoed from the trees, just loud enough for Tria to hear.

Tria flashed a smile towards the rainbow face. "Excuse me."

She stomped over to where her stepdaughter was eagerly waiting. "What's up, Cera?"

"Lower your voice," Cera whispered. "Listen, do you think you can take Miriam and Mackenzie's mother to that one place? The one with the shady trees and the river with the waterfall? The one my friends and I discovered the other day? We showed it to you, remember?"

Tria raised a brow, confused and somewhat bewildered by the barrage of questions. "Um...yeah, but why?"

"Because we want to bring their dad there too."

Tria's confusion turned into amusement as she quickly realized what Cera was trying to accomplish. "Aw, are you guys trying to get them to make up?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Will you help?"

"Of course I will. But how are you kids going to get Tristan to come over there?"

"We've got a plan. Don't worry."

* * *

Tristan sat in a patch of grass where a few flowers were beginning to bloom. In his hands was a wreath of white flowers which he was trying to intertwine. He stared at the flowers, disappointment in his amber eyes.

"She wouldn't like _this_ ," he mused aloud. "It doesn't even match her personality! Damn it!"

Littlefoot and his friends turned a corner and found Tristan venting his anger out onto a band of flowers.

"What's wrong, Mr. Rainbow face?" Littlefoot asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Just Tristan is fine, thank you," he told the little longneck. "And...I'm trying to make a wreath of flowers for my wife, but I can't seem to make one that she'd like."

He looked down at Eva, and then plopped the wreath of flowers onto her neck, ignoring the one or two petals that fled from the wreath. "Here you go, sharptooth. This color suits you."

Eva toyed with the flowers slung around her neck, smiling in wonder and amazement.

Ruby spoke up next. "So you are not angry with her as much as she is angry at you?"

"I don't have a reason to be angry at her," Tristan began to explain. "She, on the other hand, has plenty of reasons to be angry at me."

Littlefoot lowered his neck. "Well...would you be willing to have a chance to make up with her?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't show my face to her until I've made her the perfect gift. It's the least I can do."

"Maybe we can help look for some flowers that would suit Miriam and Mackenzie's mom," suggested Chomper, "There's flowers _all over_ the valley!"

"That would be much appreciated, children. Thank you."

* * *

Tria and Cera came strolling back to where Amelia was still sitting, having finished the last of the sweet bubbles.

"Amelia," said Tria, "Cera just reminded me about this place in the valley that she discovered with her friends. It's really cool and shady, and it's the perfect place to relax and let yourself go. Since the mud pool is flooded right now because of the sky water, this is the next best option. I really think it would help you feel better. What do you say?"

"Do you really think it would...?"

"I know it would."

"Well, then...alright. Lead the way."

"Come on, Tricia," Cera motioned for her little sister, who ran after her as Tria led Amelia to the mysterious and unknown location.

* * *

Tristan held the new and improved wreath in his hands. The tiny dinosaurs had searched all across the valley for a variety of flowers — namely blue ones.

The wreath consisted of a large light blue consisting of a million tiny ones, white flowers with light blue stigmas, and lastly, some bright yellow blossoms. One flower wasn't all that Tristan needed. He needed several of them, for Amelia had many different aspects to her which made her special.

"That is very pretty," commented Ducky, "It is, it is!"

"Ooh, me sure hope that their mom like it," said Petrie, flapping his wings in mid air.

"I hope so too," remarked Tristan, slinging the wreath over his wrist. "Thank you for the help, little ones. I appreciate it."

"We should get going," said Ruby, "Maybe you can surprise her!"

Tristan tapped his chin in a moment of thought. "She does like surprises..."

"Let's go then," urged Littlefoot, beginning to walk off.

And so, Tristan followed the young dinosaurs, who truthfully, seemed to be looking forward to this more than he was.

* * *

Amelia was led by the group of threehorns to a place obscured by tall bipinnate leaves. She could hear the calm rushing of the waterfall, the gentle rustle of the trees, and already, she was in paradise.

She looked back at Tria with uncertainty, but her friend only urged her forwards. Amelia took one step forward, and entered the small and secluded oasis.

There was a terrace of rocks, acting almost like a stairwell to the waterfall, which pooled into a stream. The trees towered high into the sky, providing plenty of cool shade.

Her mouth agape, she continued further. She hadn't even known a place like this existed in the valley.

Unseen to her, Tristan had stepped in from the opposite side. He too, seemed nervous, but Littlefoot and his friends pushed him forward. Their cover was nearly blown, however, when Spike proceeded to munch on one of the leaves.

The group of dinosaurs quickly departed from the scene, leaving Tristan to his task.

When Tria spotted Tristan, she knew her work was finished. She looked towards her daughters.

"Come on girls," she whispered, "Let's go find your father."

Cera helped Tricia onto her head, and the trio was off.

Tristan and Amelia were now alone. Amelia edged towards the stream, not having spotted Tristan standing behind her.

Luckily, Tristan had stealth on his side. He crept around silently, making sure Amelia never saw him, no matter which way she turned her head. Then, a blade of grass snapping in two gave him away.

Amelia turned, stared directly at Tristan, and shrieked. "AH!" She stumbled backwards, falling into the stream with a loud and powerful splash.

Tristan winced, turning his head away as he was showered in water droplets. Then, he directed his eyes at his wife, sitting in the stream, soaked from head to toe. He jumped in, steadily maneuvering his weight through the shallow water.

"Amelia— are you alright?" He began to help her up, leaning back when a fish leaped out of the water and nearly landed on his nose.

"Oh, please, you've done enough, haven't you?" Amelia was close to tears once more, but she still allowed Tristan to help her to her feet.

Tristan offered an awkward chuckle, as though he had remembered a distant memory from long ago. "This— This actually reminds me of the day we first met. Do you remember?"

Amelia scoffed, smiling wryly, yet fondly. "Of course I do. How could I forget? I'm just grateful that I didn't fall in the mud this time."

Tristan chuckled, and gently guided her onto dry land. Amelia curled up on one of the rocks near the bottom of the waterfall, lightly sprinkled with water.

Tristan sat near the bank, soaking his feet in the stream, unsure of what to do from here. Then, as if something had overcome him, he hopped into the stream, waded over to Amelia, and slid the carefully crafted wreath of flowers around her neck.

Amelia's hands drifted towards the flowers, eyes wide with astonishment. "What is—"

"For you. I'm sorry, Amelia."

"What was the need for this? You didn't have to this."

"I did. I had to show you how sorry I really am, because I'm absolutely miserable without you."

Amelia stared at the wreath for a long time. Then, her eyes grew moist, and she burst into tears. Her husband had been so thoughtful, and here she was, resolved to give him the cold shoulder all because she was a tad bit sensitive.

"Oh, Tristan," she sobbed, gripping the wreath around her neck, "You were right. I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"No," he disagreed, "I should have shown my appreciation for you in a clearer way. I shouldn't have been so insensitive."

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything that terrible! I was just overthinking things and it made everything so much worse."

"Well, that makes the both of us."

"If anyone should be apologizing though, it should be me."

"Amelia—"

"No. Listen to me, please. I was feeling overwhelmed in the morning. I felt that no one cared how I felt, even if you were only joking. No one would listen to me. I was just angry, and I overreacted. I expected too much of you, and it was unfair. I'm sorry, Tristan."

"Alright, but—"

"Would you just forgive me already so we can both get on with our lives?"

Tristan laughed to himself. "I forgive you, Amelia. I could never stay angry with you for long, as you can see. Now, if you would forgive _me_ for not considering your feelings and not listening to you, I would be the happiest rainbow face in the world."

Amelia reciprocated his smile. "I forgive you, Tristan, even if you _are_ a blubbering mess."

Their eyes met at that exact moment. Amelia's almond shaped, whimsical sea blue eyes, dotted with long and curled lashes, locked with his. And his somewhat rounded amber eyes, slightly wrinkled but filled with experience, locked with hers.

"For what it's worth, Amelia," began Tristan, "You _are_ a good mother. You're kind and patient, and you always try to listen to the children, rather than yell at them. I'd suppose you have what it takes to raise them on your own without me."

Amelia narrowed her eyes, shriveling away from him. "That's not funny."

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He raised his hands defensively before gently prodding her snout with his. "But you really are fantastic. Yelling is easy. All they have to do is anger me. But it's hard to stay calm when they test your patience, and I've seen you do it. I don't blame you for getting angry today, and again, I'm sorry for not being more firm with them."

"The one time you should've gotten angry, you didn't," Amelia teased. "But it's alright, I'm proud of you for trying to keep your temper under control." She then reciprocated his loving gesture, closing his eyes as she embraced him. A few moments later, she snapped out of her lovestruck daze. "We should probably get going. It's almost time for dinner."

"Dinner can wait," Tristan said smoothly. "Come now, we're alone in a nice and peaceful place, without the girls. What could be better?"

"Are you saying you don't love the girls?"

"I do, but they do have a tendency to wear the both of us out, don't you think? I'm saying we should just stay here for a bit, and let ourselves go for a while. When we go back home, we'll be completely relaxed."

Amelia steadily began to warm up to the idea. A contented sigh slipping through her, she leaned against Tristan, who took a moment to pluck a ripe red fruit from a nearby tree. He dropped the fruit onto the rock, where it split into two, revealing a million tiny red seeds inside.

Amelia glanced up at him and smiled, using her mouth to pluck a handful of seeds from the fruit before swallowing them. Still leaning against her mate, she looked up at the sky, which had turned a gleaming orange, puffy pink clouds moving gradually across the sky as the bright circle shone like glistening gold.

* * *

When they made the trek back home, Amelia and Tristan walked side by side. Tristan seemed to be telling Amelia a humorous joke, for in the midst of her giggles, she let out a snort. She still wore the wreath of flowers around her neck, and sticky red juice lined the corners of her mouth.

The bright circle had retired for the day, making way for the night circle, which had not risen just yet. The sky was mostly dark, with a faint undertone of gold, and some of the twinkling stars had already come into view.

Miriam and Mackenzie came loping towards them, their tails bouncing as they ran.

"Mom, dad," said Miriam, "Where _were_ you? We were looking all over for you."

"Yeah," agreed Mackenzie, "We already went through all the snacks and I'm still starving!"

Miriam gave a concurring nod.

"Oh, hush," said Tristan, "You're fine. There's plenty of food in the valley to sustain you. You could have gone and eaten some yourselves."

"Well, we _did_ ," said Mackenzie, "But we wanted the really moist tree stars."

"You could have asked Mr. or Mrs. Longneck to help you," stated Amelia.

"But we've never even really talked to them..."

"There's a first time for everything."

Mackenzie gave a shrug, choosing not to argue any further. "Can we go eat some more?"

"Make it quick. The bright circle has already gone from the sky."

Miriam and Mackenzie ran off to the small canopy of trees, stripping the branches of their leaves. Amelia and Tristan watched them before turning their heads and continuing on towards home.

Amelia collapsed onto the bed of leaves, wrapping her tail around herself. Tristan plopped down beside her, lowering his head. He could hear that tired sigh leave her, and chuckled softly.

"Tired, aren't you?"

"Mhmm...what a day."

"It's okay if you want to rest. You deserve it, after all."

"You deserve it too, love. We both do. We are good people, and we've suffered enough."

"Make no mistake about that." Tristan chuckled once more, pressing his forehead against that of his mate's. "Good night, Amelia."

Amelia sighed once more, resting her head on the grass and letting herself slip into the half conscious doze that eventually led to sleep. "Good night, Tristan."


	32. Chapter 32: Journey

**Hello, everyone! It's been a few days since my last update, and it might have been a lot longer, but I decided I wanted to get this chapter over with. It's another flashback chapter, but it focuses on a character I've never really focused on before. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy reading!**

* * *

It took a herculean effort for the rainbow face to hook his claws around the upper lip of the cliff and heave himself over. As he climbed up, he unconsciously shook some rocks loose with his foot. Behind him, there was a loud and pained screech.

He looked back, and saw that the rocks had tumbled downwards, ramming right into the fast biter closest to his tail. The beast lost his footing, falling and dragging his comrades along with him.

The rainbow face did not look back again. He climbed onto the flat surface, collapsing into a tired heap under the drifting clouds and the light of the bright circle. He felt that he could not go on any longer. Where was he going, exactly? What was he trying to accomplish by exerting himself and forgoing his own needs?

* * *

The small rock fragments at the base of the cliff tumbled slowly downwards as a slender green tail with vertical cerulean stripes suddenly burst through the larger rocks which had fallen during an avalanche not too many days and nights ago. The tail pushed off several other rocks from the mountain's mighty face before the owner of the tail was able to emerge.

"Hello?" His sage green eyes gleamed with anticipation, waiting for a response. Little did he know, right now, he was speaking to a barren wasteland. He climbed out from the wreckage, slowly making his way down to the bottom.

The land that was once home to a diverse and large herd of rainbow faces had now been abandoned in search of a safer place with more to offer. The rainbow face had sacrificed himself for his family, and yet, he still felt dismayed to find that they were no longer here.

" _I hope Molly and the boys are alright_ ," he mused aloud as he searched for any signs of life. The lone rainbow face was none other than Michael. He'd survived the avalanche, being more fortunate than the fast biters he was trying to avert from his wife and children. But no matter how long he searched, he found no trace of his previous life. Everyone was gone.

As Michael sampled a sniff of the soil, he heard a low growl that he recognized. It was familiar to him. He felt a soft gasp escape him while looking up and seeing a fast biter sniffing the air. He'd gotten lucky before, but he knew there would not always be another time. He quickly fled the scene, not caring where he went, wanting to simply get as far away as possible.

Michael soon found himself in the open grasslands where the large leaf eaters roamed. These dinosaurs were free of the worry of being eaten by sharpteeth, for at their colossal size, there wasn't a single dinosaur who could pose a threat.

The male rainbow face lingered near a lone spiketail who was taking her sweet time drinking from the nearby stream. In order to look more natural, he decided to sip from the same stream as well.

The female spiketail lifted her head, glaring at Michael rather disdainfully. She let out a grunt, and briskly walked away. Michael watched her leave, and very quickly found out that dinosaurs of the mysterious beyond preferred to keep to themselves, with little regard for others.

He looked across the stream, where he saw a herd of longnecks with long, whiplike tails moving at their own pace, their long and cumbersome bodies slowly moving along with their legs. To the right, another longneck, who had a neck so long, it could reach the leaves that many other longnecks could not.

Michael felt extremely out of place. This place was too exposed for his liking, even more so than his old home. He took a few more sips of water, and then left.

Truth be told, Michael didn't really know where he wanted to go. The Great Valley was a possibility, but he hadn't a clue how to get there or if it was even real. His plan was to keep walking until he hit something. What that something was, he didn't know. He wasn't even sure if he'd make it out of the desert alive.

He wandered for many days and many nights without water or food. The desert was long and winding, seeming as if it had no end and simply continued on forever. But Michael was determined; he wasn't about to give up on his family. They needed him. Molly needed him.

He battled the scorching hot earth, the dust and the wind in his face, and the enormous sand dunes. There were days that he felt he just couldn't go on any longer, that he would just keel over and die. But every time, he would see Molly's betrayed and saddened face, and it would encourage him to endure it another day.

As he trudged on aimlessly, he caught wind of something other than the smell of sand and his own body odor. He allowed his nose to lead the way, and soon found himself before a clutch of eggs hidden in a nest under the sand. Michael's diet usually consisted of green food and buzzers, but there was none of that anywhere near him. Driven by hunger, he used his long claws to dig out a large and round speckled egg. He covered up any trace of his handiwork, and ran off. As soon as he was a good distance away from the nest, Michael made short work of the egg.

As he stared at the underdeveloped hatchling, covered in slime and other material, he felt a pang of guilt. This was someone's baby, someone's flesh and blood. And he'd raised their nest and stolen their child from them. But he wouldn't lie — he was glad that he was no longer starving. In such a harsh world, he had to do what he had to in order to survive.

The cracked desert earth felt rough and hot underneath Michael's feet. He moved quickly, never keeping still for very long. He had never been more thirsty. His mouth was dry, as were the scales covering his body.

Still, he continued on. He had to get out of the desert. If he dared to get sidetracked in search of nourishment, he would be walking around in circles for days until he eventually died.

Somewhere along the way, he came across a limp body lying on the earth. Initially, Michael resolved to ignore it. However, that plan was quickly scrapped when he began approaching the body, taking in it's scent.

It wasn't dead. This creature, a small dinosaur with a sail on it's back, had just collapsed a little while ago. Michael gave the nod a gentle nudge, when it suddenly shifted.

The creature opened it's eyes, staring directly at Michael. It let out a squeak, revealing it's rows of sharp teeth.

"Woah!" Michael fell back in surprise. "Y-You're a sharptooth..." He backed away further, slowing beginning to walk away, when the creature squeaked again.

"Sharptooth," she repeated.

Michael turned, and came loping back. This wasn't a vicious predator — but a mere child. He paced around nervously, torn between two choices. He could leave, and forget that this encounter had ever happened. Or, he could help the little sharptooth.

Michael, for some unfathomable reason, chose the latter. "...What is your name?"

"Name?"

"Yes, what do your parents call you?"

"Eva," croaked the sharptooth. "What is your name?"

"Michael. Do you need help, Eva?"

Eva shook her head and hopped onto her feet. "I was, uh..."

"Sleeping?"

"Yeah! I was sleeping."

"Well...what are you doing out here then? Are you lost?"

"Lost?"

Clearly, she did not speak leaf eater language very fluently. "Do you not know where you are?"

Realization flashed in Eva's eyes. She was beginning to catch on. "Oh! No, I do not. I am trying to find my mom."

"Are you sure your mom didn't _ditch_ you?"

"She didn't ditch me! Whatever that means...where is your family?"

Michael looked away. "I'm trying to find them."

"Maybe we can find them together!"

"Uh..."

"Let's go!"

Eva leaped forward, and suddenly came to a halt. She lifted her snout, sniffing the dry desert air.

"Get down," she whispered.

"What?"

"Just get down."

Bewildered, Michael crept down behind a crumbling log. Eva walked past him, scanning the horizon. A duo of fast biters came up the hill, baring their teeth.

They growled softly, and Eva ran up in front of them, producing a series of squeaks.

One of the biters gave a questioning growl, to which Eva squeaked and shook her head.

The fast biter turned to her mate, offering a gentle snort. The male biter gave a reaffirming grunt of his own. In agreement, the pair walked off, disappearing into the distance.

Once they were gone and out of sight, Eva hopped down next to Michael.

"They're gone. Come on, let's go."

"Um...maybe, I should just go by myself."

"No! You said you wanted to come with me!"

"Look kid, I need to find my family."

"So do I! And my name is not 'kid'. It's Eva. Say it with me — Aae-vah."

"No wonder your mother ditched you, _Aae-vah_."

Eva pouted, furrowing her brows as she watched Michael walk away. After a brief second, she ran in front of him, blocking his path.

"I know how to speak sharptooth. I can make sure you don't get eaten! Unless...you don't want to see your family again."

The sharptooth had a brash and threatening air about her, and Michael didn't like it. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Fine," he said begrudgingly, "I'll help you get home. But as soon as I do, it's goodbye. Got it?"

"Got it!"

And so, the pair walked on into the desert, the sun beating down on their backs. Annoyed, Michael dragged his legs along, forcing himself to move forward. Eva trailed close behind him, jumping to avoid the cracks in the rough desert earth.

"Hey, you know—"

"Okay, here's the deal," Michael interrupted, "We are journeying together, but there will be no talking, okay?"

"Okay! Then, I'll sing!"

Michael's eyes widened in abject horror and he shook his head. "No, no, no, no."

Eva began to hum, carrying an upbeat little tune, the humming steadily turning to painfully off-key vocalizing.

Michael stopped, scowling at the girl. "Will you stop it?" But Eva did not stop, and Michael grew increasingly annoyed. "Shh! Eva, stop singing!"

He picked her up by the flap of her neck, stuffing her tiny body inside a hollow log, where her muffled voice could still be heard. She peeked her head out from an opening in the log, belting out her final note.

Michael scoffed, turning the other way as he walked ahead. Eva ran to catch up with him, and noticed his seemingly permanent scowl. She mimicked the expression, furrowing her brows and clenching her jaw.

Michael raised a brow in indignation when he noticed her plainly mocking him. He shook his head, rolling his eyes. Eva mimicked this as well.

He trotted ahead, only to fall face first in the sand. He lifted his head, spitting the sand out from his mouth. Then, he looked up. Before him lay miles and miles of sandy dunes. The breeze nipped at his skin, causing bits of sand to become wedged between his toes.

"Woah," exclaimed Eva, awestruck. "That's a lot of sand."

When he stood up, Michael had turned stoic and serious. He turned to Eva. "Stay close," he warned. "You don't want to get lost in a dust storm."

He and Eva continued their trek, their footprints and any trace of their presence covered by clouds of dust washing over the dunes. They dragged on through the desert, struggling to maneuver their way through the sand.

By midday, Eva began to trail behind. She was only a child, and not used to walking such long distances. Michael knew he could have continued without her, but for reasons unknown, he did not. He stopped in his tracks, turning his head and waiting for her to catch up.

It was now nightfall. The dust storms were ever-present and strong. Eva slid down one of the dunes, landing in a pile of sand. "I'm so tired," she whimpered.

"I know," crooned Michael, reminded of when his own sons complained about their fatigue. "But we have to stay ahead of the dust clouds. Come on."

Once they had crossed the sandy dunes, they came across more rock. These rock formations were slanted and difficult to walk on. The hot earth singed their feet, putting Eva in a great deal of pain. Alas, Michael was helpless to do anything to aid her. They carefully slid from rock to rock, determined to get through.

While sliding across, Eva lost her footing. She slid down at an alarmingly fast pace, as if she were sliding across the slippery ice which covered the coldlands.

"Eva, be careful!" Michael watched as she flew freely, without control, into the air. He leaped up, caught her by the flap of her neck, and carried her the rest of the way.

By the time the bright circle had already risen and fallen, they'd entered a pathway lined with jagged rocks and the remains of hollow trees, with a sandy floor which consumed much of the earth.

It was then that, with the bright circle beating down on their aching backs, they came to an unspoken consensus that neither of them could bear to go on any longer. Michael fell to the sand with a thud, Eva falling beside him moments after. He remained wordlessly in the sand for a good minute before slowly opening his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Eva," he rasped, "I've failed the both of us."

"It's okay," Eva answered meekly, "It's not your fault..."

"I just," he closed his eyes, "I just wanted to see Molly again..."

"Who is Molly?"

"She's my mate. My partner. I told her I'd never give up on her..."

"Then why _are_ you?"

"I'm too tired...I can't go any further."

"That shouldn't stop you. I know my dad would move the mountains to get to my mom."

"Some things you just can't do."

"But you can try, can't you?"

The little sharptooth spoke the truth — Michael could try. He could try to get to his family. Even if he didn't succeed, he would at least pass on with the knowledge that he truly did try.

"Very well. I won't give up, then. But I'm not leaving you to die here. Do you think you can get up?"

"I think so," Eva managed, slowly mustering the strength to rise again. Michael helped her to her feet, and soon, the two dinosaurs were back on the path towards home.

It seemed impossible, but they were able to make it out of the desert. When Michael felt the cool grass underneath his feet rather than sand, he cried out in joy. "Oh! OH!" He knelt down, kissing the ground he walked on. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see grass again."

"I'm surprised that we're still alive," remarked Eva, smiling in wry amusement.

"Oh, don't talk like that. You're still a kid. Now, come on. Let's go see if we can find some fish."

And with that, they disappeared into the forest filled with trees. Michael's eyes drifted up towards the sunlight seeping in through the tall trees covered in millions and millions of tiny dark green leaves, and then, looked down at Eva.

"My dad would hate this place. He already hates kicking down trees where we live."

"Do you live in a forest?"

"Yes—" she stopped to sniff the air, "But it's not this one. Doesn't smell like it."

Michael opened his mouth, and then closed it when he seemed to pick up an unfamiliar sound. "Wait— you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

The two dinosaurs listened. Apart from the sounds of tiny forest creatures crying out and running across the forest floor scattered with leaves, they could hear something else — the sound of another creature, breathing.

"Oh," Eva exclaimed, "I hear it now."

"It sounds like it's coming from the tall grass over there. Come on, let's go have a look."

They walked forward, and peeked their heads through the long and slender blades of grass.

Aurora laid in a bed of feathers and leaves made in a hole in the fertile soil, not even a foot deep. On her thigh were three gashes. Red and fresh, she seemed to have sustained them only recently. She lifted her head, and began to lick her wounds. Suddenly, her eyes met Michael's, and she startled.

There were more collective footsteps, and Bruno came into view. He sat on his toes, crouching down before licking the scales on Aurora's cheek. He was still as muscular as ever, numerous scars covering his body.

"How's your leg?" He inquired, speaking in a soft voice.

"It still hurts," Aurora replied somewhat timidly, dipping her head. "Especially when I move it."

"Don't fret. The others will be back with some food and water soon."

Aurora smiled sweetly at Bruno, shifting her gaze back towards the tall grass. Michael was no longer there.

A small group of rainbow faces came loping over. Within them, were four hatchlings holding bundles of leaves in their hands. Behind them, Harri and another rainbow face were carrying a leaf full of water.

Michael went behind the shelter of a tree trunk, motioning for Eva to follow him. He peeked over the corner, eyeing the rainbow face whom he did not recognize.

She was small, with much of the strength in her powerful legs, but her figure was a bit plump. Her almond shaped eyes, the same hue as the sky when the bright circle was barely rising into the sky, were kind and motherly, as if she understood everyone she came across. She had the same scars as Aurora did, but all over her light green body.

"Good work, Calla," Harri said to her, setting the leaf down beside Aurora. "Not a drop spilled. I must say, I sure am glad you came along." He then licked her cheek, and gently pressed his snout to hers.

"Well," began Calla, purring softly before sitting down, "It was your idea. You needn't give me all of the credit."

Bruno grabbed a fistful of leaves, dropping them into the water. "Here you are," he said to Aurora, "These should help with the pain."

Aurora looked at the leaves, scrunching up her nose. "I'm not sure if I want to eat these..."

"Don't talk rot. You have to eat them. Unless, you'd like to be in pain."

"That's fine with me."

Bruno scoffed. "As if you had a choice. Come now, eat up. Don't make me baby you. I _can_ , you know."

There was a loud thud, and the ground trembled briefly. Bruno looked up, sniffing around for a potential threat. He looked back at his group, and then back towards the copse of trees. "Stay here," he warned before disappearing through the tall grass.

Michael had taken a step back, and tripped over the sail on Eva's back, causing the noise. He took a moment to scowl at the sharptooth, until he looked up to find Bruno's shadow looming over him.

Bruno prepared to attack, and then did a double take. "Michael?" He took a step back, falling backwards into the grass.

Calla lowered her head to examine him, making sure he was alright. "What is it, Bruno? What's out there?"

"I-It's Michael!

Aurora gasped suddenly. "I knew it! I knew I saw him!" She raised her neck, projecting her voice, "Michael! Come on in!"

Michael stood up, and looked back at Eva, then at the tall grass. He walked through the grass, coming out on the other side, along with his companion.

"If you knew," muttered Bruno, "Why didn't you say something?"

"I wanted to make sure I wasn't going mad," explained Aurora. "Anyway...how did you get all the way over here, Michael? We all took you for dead!"

"I caused a rock slide so that my family could get away...I wasn't under there for too long, but when I got out, Molly was already gone. I've been trying to find her, though. I told her to go to the Great Valley."

"Andy said he was going there, too," added Harri.

"But, Michael," said Aurora, "Even if you do find the Great Valley, how are you going to approach Molly? I mean...I'm sure she's in a very bad way. You can't exactly walk up to her and say hello after being gone for so long."

"I'm sure she'd understand," replied Michael.

"You fool," griped Bruno, "She probably thinks you're dead. She's probably grieving the loss of you right now, and you expect everything to be alright?"

"Listen, I risked my life for my family. I stayed behind so they could get away. I would think that would be worthy of praise instead of criticism."

Calla stood up to scratch her side before sitting back down. "So, did you do it for praise or for your family? Because if you did it for your _family_ , the opinions of others shouldn't matter to you, so long as your family is safe."

"This argument is pointless," growled Bruno, "Leave it be. Let Michael sort this out on his own." His eyes traveled downwards, where he saw Eva hiding behind Michael's leg. He narrowed his eyes, pulling her by the tail. "Who's this?"

"Hey!" Eva squealed, struggling and fighting, "Let me go!"

"Bruno, leave her," Aurora demanded.

Bruno paid little heed to his wife. He continued to examine the tiny dinosaur, and could feel his blood boil when he took notice of the hundreds of sharp teeth lining the inside of her mouth. "A sharptooth?" He questioned, "You befriended a _sharptooth_?"

"Bruno!" Aurora rose to her feet, only to gasp in pain and fall back onto the ground.

Bruno momentarily forgot about the sharptooth, helping Aurora gently back down to the nest. "Be careful, will you?"

"She's only a child," Aurora argued defensively, "And besides, we go by the will of the creators. We need to have respect for _all_ life. Even for those who can kill us."

"That doesn't matter. Sharpteeth are savage brutes! Anything _new_ is a danger to us."

"I believe, Bruno," began Harri, "You said something along those lines when _Calla_ dropped in on us."

"And I'm a rainbow face," Calla added smugly.

Bruno scowled at the others, averting his gaze. "Humph."

By nightfall, they were all lying around in a circle, concealed by the shelter of the trees. Bruno sat beside Aurora, licking the gashes on her thigh before rubbing powder made from some mashed up plant onto a leaf, gently placing several of them on each gash. Aurora grazed on the leaves dipped in water, their bitter taste numbing the pain of her wounds.

Meanwhile, her litter of hatchlings ran across the forest floor, fighting playfully with each other.

"Be careful, children," she warned, "You don't want to go too far if a sharptooth decides it wants to eat you."

Michael raised a brow, resting his chin on his knuckles. "You sure have a knack for being brutally honest, don't you, Aurora?"

"It gets them to listen to us," reasoned Bruno, "Which makes our lives much easier."

"Right, right. How did Aurora get those nasty marks on her thigh?"

Aurora looked towards the site of her injury. "Oh, I was looking for food. I eventually found this really nice place with lots of green food and a winding stream _filled_ with fish. Only problem was that it had already been claimed by a group of flyers who don't quite like to share."

"Mm." Michael didn't require any further explanation. "I see."

"She was very quick and agile," Bruno said in addition, "Had she been any slower, she would have been a goner."

"She's very lucky," commented Michael before looking over towards Calla, "What about you, Calla? How'd you find your way here?"

"My story isn't too different from Aurora's, actually," Calla stated, sitting upright, "That place where the flyers live now, it used to be home to a herd of rainbow faces — the one that my family is from. However, the flyers settled there and drove us out, causing us to disperse. Anyway, some time back, I decided I would pop in for a decent meal, and sneak out before I was caught." She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh, the pain of the gashes ravaging her body suddenly seeming so much more fresh, "They chased me out, leaving me for dead. Harri found me, and he saved me."

"How do you all sleep at night, knowing that there's sharpteeth around? And much less, in a forest, where it's hard to see?"

"We use our fear to make ourselves stronger. We're more alert, and we take much less for granted — least of all each other."

"That's right," Aurora agreed, "And another rainbow face, who lives nearby— I think her name was Val— she's the leader of a large herd, and offers us protection whenever we need it, but allows us to lead our own separate lives."

"So...you wouldn't come to the Great Valley with me?"

"I'm afraid not, Michael. We are quite content here, but thank you for thinking of us."

Michael nodded his head. "Well...Eva and I will just be staying here until we're both strong enough to resume our journey."

Bruno raised an amused brow. "Are you planning on taking a _sharptooth_ to the Great Valley?"

"No. I'm just taking her back home to her parents, and then I'll be on my way."

"You're an odd bunch. I'll give you that."

"I think it's sweet," remarked Aurora.

"Aurora," sighed Bruno, "You think _everything_ is sweet."

"Not everything."

"Mhmm...right then. We should all be going to sleep. Hop to it."

"You haven't changed a bit, Bruno," Michael teased.

"Shut your trap."

Michael and Eva remained with Aurora and the others, eating their fill. When the time came that their bones were stronger and they were no longer starving, they continued forward.

"Take the left path," Aurora warned as they left, "The right path will lead you to the forest of shadows. Unless you have a death wish, _take the left path_!"

The duo paid careful heed to Aurora's words, and took the left path. A little while of walking, and they were led directly to another forest. Eva stopped, and sniffed the air once again.

"It's this one! This is the one! I can smell it!"

"Well, we'd best go in then."

"Just be careful. You might run into my parents."

They disappeared into the trees, covered by most of their tall shadows, for a good number of them had toppled over. Drops of moisture fell from their leaves, and onto the ground below. Michael looked towards Eva. "What do your parents look like again?"

Eva didn't need to answer, for a gigantic plum colored sharptooth placed her foot forward. Her dirt covered claws dug into the soil, leaving a footprint large enough to lay eggs in. With the sail on her back, she was colossal. Her pupils barely visible as narrow slits, her blazing green eyes bore into Michael's, and she did not bother to conceal the hundreds upon hundreds of sharp, serrated teeth lining her gums.

"Oh," Michael said flatly, "I see."

The sharptooth lowered her head, her large nostrils picking up Michael's scent. She sniffed him all over, desperate to find the source of the scent that she recognized so well. When she couldn't find it, she raised her foot, preparing to bring it down upon the rainbow face's tiny form.

Eva came out running in the nick of time, squeaking at the larger dinosaur. "That's my mama," she told Michael.

The larger sharptooth's pupils widened as she recognized her daughter's excited squeals. There was a gleam in her eyes, and for an instant, she no longer seemed like a mindless predator, but a parent who had worried themselves sick. Her tail pointed upwards the instant that she and her daughter touched snouts.

Eva climbed onto her mother's head. Her mother lifted her head upwards and produced a piercing roar which shook some of the leaves from the trees. Another sharptooth, a darker purple one, came into view, kicking down several trees as he made his way over.

His blue eyes were menacing, with an intent to kill. However, he too, seemed to simmer down at the sight of the baby sharptooth. He nuzzled her with his snout, and then nuzzled the other sharptooth, purring softly. His lips even seemed to curve into a crooked smile.

It was then that Michael put all the pieces together. They were a family. These were Eva's parents, and they likely had not seen their daughter for some time. It made Michael feel more confident about approaching his own family.

Just as he turned to leave, Eva ran down her mother's lowered tail to catch up with Michael. She hugged his leg, since she could not reach anything above that. "Thank you, Michael. I finally found my family again. I hope you find yours."

"Thank you, Eva. I'm glad I could help you." He touched his snout to hers and smiled, albeit briefly.

"Oh, and my parents said that if you ever want to come back, they'll refrain from eating you."

"That's very kind of them. Who knows, maybe one day, we'll meet again."

"You really think so?"

"The world's a large place. It's bound to happen." He touched her snout one more time, "Goodbye, Eva." He then turned tail and departed from the forest, continuing his journey to the Great Valley as a solitary dinosaur, once again.

* * *

Michael was in a very bad way. Tired, hungry, and defeated, he felt he would never see his family again. Molly would be forced to raise the boys without him. Gabriel and Adam would have to grow up without their father.

He didn't know where he was, nor did he have the strength to find out. Perhaps, he thought, it was his time. The creators were calling him to come home. But then, if that were the case, he would have seen the dark rainbow face, with a body made of black mist, coming to take him.

As if the creators above were listening to his plight, the bright circle's light broke through the clouds. It's radiant light shone on a land, just behind a wall of rock. Michael stood up to get a better look. Illuminated by the bright circle, like a beacon of hope, was a land of green and plenty. Trees grew everywhere, and more then enough rivers and streams flowed across the grassy floor. It was indeed a paradise, a paradise that Michael believed only existed in his wildest dreams, and it wasn't too far.

Adrenaline coursed through his body, and Michael suddenly regained his strength. He made his way down the cliff, and resumed his journey, the journey he knew now would not be in vain.


	33. Chapter 33: They Will Never Understand

**Wow, I actually updated earlier than expected! We finally get to see Orri for the first time in present day, and he's a very fun character for me to write.**

 **I've also noticed that some people have left reviews, so thank you! It really means a lot to me, so please don't be afraid to let me know what you think!**

 **Darth Cody - thank you so much for the kind words! And yes, I have made several references to Brother Bear throughout this story, and will probably make more. :D I'm glad you noticed and liked it!**

 **Anyway, that's all I have to say. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and as always, have a great week!**

* * *

Orri sat perched on a sturdy tree branch, the scent of the millions of miniature green leaves entering his nostrils. His cold and unfeeling brown eyes watched over his people as they slept in the trees, ate fish from the stream, and talked amongst themselves. His beige scales were covered in scars and scratches. They brought him no shame, for they were marks of his victory, where he prevailed, and others did not. He ruffled his wings, clearing them of the dust that had collected in between his membranes.

* * *

Orri grew up very timid and quiet. As a hatchling, he was weak, tiny, and helpless. He couldn't even fly without growing tired. None of that mattered to him, then. His mother and father ruled over Ornith Valley, and they did so well. His mother was a common favorite among the flyers, with her grace and eloquence. His father was more rigorous, but he was an effective ruler.

But like all things, Ornith Valley, too, was subject to change. Orri had gone hunting for fish at the lake with his mother, while his father remained close by, should there have been any danger. However, even those precautions couldn't stop nature from taking it's course. Some unknown creature, who had been most likely been biding their time, rose from the deep and clamped it's jaws around his mother's head. Orri's mother screeched in pain and panic, and his father swooped down to help in a desperate frenzy, but by then, the creature had already disappeared into the water, leaving nothing but a bloody trail.

Orri's father clamped down. Hard. After the loss of his wife, he felt he had nothing more to lose except Ornith Valley. The paternal bond that he once had with Orri had vanished. He worked him half to death, not resting until he knew that Orri was a strong and capable flyer. By the time he was, Orri's heart had been hardened by life's trials.

Knowing that his son had learned well, Orri's father resigned himself to his fate. He fell ill, and began to decline until his eventual death. Subsequently, Orri took his place. At first, he seemed a just and fair leader, who only had the best interest of his people at heart. But then, he started enforcing his rule through the use of brute force. He built up a team of captains, who carried out his work. If anyone dared to defy his authority, one of his captains would strike them. If they were caught talking ill of Orri or trying to leave, they were struck twice. Some flyers died standing up for what they believed in.

As time went on, the flyers of Ornith Valley came to accept the bitter truth that they were better off submitting to their leader, even when he began sending children to learn how to hunt, despite many of the young flyers losing their lives in the process. Several mothers protested against the new order, and they too, were killed. The blissful valley that had once been an oasis, a paradise, was now a sad and evil place of fear, where the inhabitants heard without listening, and talked without speaking.

* * *

The heavy and slowed flapping of wings filled the fresh morning air, and a trio of flyers made their way towards the branch upon which Orri was perched. The first to land was a gray flyer named Rowan. He was the biggest and the strongest out of the three, with a red tipped crest and pale blue eyes which were almost white.

"Captain Rowan," said Orri, lifting his chin slightly, "Good morning."

"Good morning, sir." Rowan's voice was soft and smooth, but had a firmness to it all the same. Just as he opened his mouth to continue speaking, he was interrupted by the flyer standing to his left.

"Rosemary's at it again, sir."

There was a flash of recognition in Orri's eyes. Rosemary's name was not unheard of in the valley. "Please do take care of it, Hawthorn."

"Of course, sir," Hawthorn said proudly, sneering. He had a smug aura about him, like someone who lived only to impress others. For someone so small, he had a large ego. He was a light brown, almost orange, with pale, amber eyes.

Rowan narrowed his eyes disdainfully. He could hardly tolerate the nuisance known as Captain Hawthorn.

The most quiet and least troublesome of the bunch was Captain Yarrow. He was a simple flyer or an average build, with pale grey scales and darker gray eyes. Mostly, he preferred to keep to himself. He wasn't a brute like Hawthorn, nor was he a revered as Rowan. He was in the very middle — where he liked to be.

Finally, after a long silence, Orri spoke. "I have a task for you three."

The trio looked up expectantly at their commander in chief, awaiting their orders.

"I need to form a small, but lethal team."

Hawthorn perked up, placing a hand on his chest. "Consider it done, sir—"

"I wasn't finished, Hawthorn."

Rowan was unable to repress a snicker. After stifling his laughter, he cleared his throat and looked up.

"As I was saying," Orri continued, "I need to build my team. Meanwhile, you three must keep watch over Ornith Valley until I get back. Rowan will be in charge."

The tables turned, and Rowan was now the one wearing a smug grin. Hawthorn growled under his breath, clearly displeased.

Orri cleared his throat, and began flapping his wings. "Well, I'll be off now. Good luck. If anything goes wrong — I _will_ hear of it." He took off into the sky, screeching as his wings sheared through the clouds.

* * *

Blood flushed into the large sail on the sharptooth's back, fresh blood staining her teeth and trickling down her slack chin. Her green eyes, her unnerving stare, bore right into that of the notorious Red Claw's. Bleeding gashes ran down her flank as she heaved, her chest rising and falling slowly while she attempted to catch her breath. A faint sensation came over her, like that of fading away into a cloud of dust.

"I told you once long ago, Red Claw," she gasped, "That I would impress you. And, well, I certainly hope I have."

"And I told _you_ I would kill you myself, Sana," Red Claw snarled, lunging for her, "Andras isn't here to save you."

Sana retaliated, and the two sharpteeth were digging their claws into each other's shoulders, staining each other with blood and dirt.

"I don't need him to save me," Sana growled in a low voice, "Getting rid of you once and for all would be more than enough."

"You'll never be rid of me." Red Claw pushed forward, causing Sana to lose her balance and topple to the ground.

With the severity of her injuries, and her colossal weight, Sana could not stand up again. Dirt mixed in with her wounds, with Red Claw digging his claws into her back. She fought and struggled, but her strength failed her. For a moment, she wondered if this would be the end of it.

Orri swooped down, perching on top of a rock protruding from the face of a mighty cliff. With his sharp eyes, and his distinct sense of smell, he was able to track down Red Claw. He watched, intrigued, as the brown sharptooth pinned his target against the dusty ground.

The ground trembled, giving the violent, shaking sensation of one of the earth's tremors. Another sailbacked sharptooth appeared on the scene, ramming his body into that of Red Claw's.

Red Claw, taken by surprise, had no opportunity to fight back. His opponent pushed all of his weight against the red eyed dinosaur, finally slamming him against the wall of the cliff Orri was sitting on.

Cleverly, Orri had predicted the sailback's course of action, and flew off before Red Claw's massive body made contact with the jagged rocks.

In the brief moment that Red Claw was dazed, the sailback sharptooth ran towards Sana, pushing her to her feet with his snout.

"Come on, hurry," he urged desperately. Once Sana was up and standing once more, the two sharpteeth fled the scene, knowing better than to challenge Red Claw another time.

Orri watched the pair depart. They might have been of some use to him, but they simply lacked the kind of spirit that he wanted. He paid them no mind. Then, he flew down to where Red Claw and his lackeys stood.

"You two are absolutely _useless_ ," Red Claw growled to the two fast biters.

"But there was nothing we could have done, sir," insisted Thud.

"Or else we might have been squashed," Screech continued.

Before Red Claw could berate his henchmen any further, Orri intervened and landed in front of them. The sharptooth directed his stony gaze towards the flyer, somewhat repulsed.

"Who are you?"

"Forgive me for the intrusion," Orri began, "But I couldn't help but notice— you are Red Claw, correct?"

Red Claw gave a grunt or affirmation. It was not at all surprising that the flyer knew who he was. On the contrary, he couldn't care less about the other's identity.

"I am Orri," he continued, "I rule over Ornith Valley."

"Never heard of it."

"I expected as much. It's not very popular...but, anyway, to the point. How would you like to help me invade the Great Valley?"

Red Claw turned away. "Forget it. It's damn near impossible to invade the valley. I've tried."

"Well, it's no wonder _you_ got caught. You're a big, hulking monster. But, consider this— what if we invaded from the _sky_?"

"Wouldn't work. You'd need a whole herd of flyers for it to be successful."

Orri smiled wryly, brown eyes shimmering. "If you come with me, I'll show you what I mean."

Red Claw, intrigued by the proposition that the flyer offered, warily followed him.

* * *

The brown flyer's talon scritched and scratched against the cave well, his dull yellow eyes slowly tracing each stroke he made. Sierra hadn't a clue what he was doing. All he knew he was that he need to keep himself busy, busy, busy. It was the only way he could possibly avoid thinking about Danielle.

His companion tried to indulge him. Rinkus knew well that different dinosaurs handled situations differently. Such was true for the loss of their mates. Rinkus had his own manner of grieving, while Sierra had his — although, his method was more noticeable and drew more attention. The scratching was beginning to get on Rinkus' nerves, but he held back a reprimand, for Sierra's sake.

Sierra's arm fell by his side as he stared at the cave. He'd drawn a flyer out of the thin marks his claws left on the earth. But once again, like all the other times, the flyer ended up taking the appearance of Danielle. No matter how hard he tried to forget his lost love, she always lingered in his thoughts.

Sierra's breath hitched, and his eyes seemed to glow with anger. "AAAGH!" His yell was so primal, so painful. It sounded as if he were stuck in the clutches of a sharptooth, and he couldn't get out. He slashed his claws across the image of the flyer, covering it in his angry claw marks. Then, he began to beat his fists against the wall. "Why?! Why can't I just _forget_ you?!"

Rinkus debated whether to say something, or to hold his tongue. He swallowed the last bits of his fish, and stood up so that he was facing his comrade. "The point isn't to _forget_ her, Sierra," he finally said, deciding to take the risk.

Sierra slid down to the floor, holding his head in his hands. "Then what do I do, huh?"

"Remember her. Remember her as much as you can. Danielle was a lot more than what happened to her."

Sierra huffed, scuffling over towards the mouth of the cavern. "Remembering her won't bring her back."

Rinkus sighed in defeat, giving in. He stood beside Sierra, looking down at the barren landscape below them.

" _So_ ," a voice cut in, " _That is how we will invade the valley_..."

Sierra didn't need to hear a word more. The prospect of invading the valley, killing those damned kids, was more than enough than the the brown flyer wanted. He spread his wings.

"Sierra, wait—"

Sierra didn't wait. He took off into the air, gliding downwards. Not wanting him to endanger himself, Rinkus followed after him. The two flyers stopped in midair, face to face with Orri.

"I hear you're planning to invade the Great Valley," Sierra explained in his gruff voice, "We want in."

Rinkus raised a brow. _What does he mean 'we'_? However, he did not want to be left to fend for himself, so he kept his silence.

Orri finally permitted himself to sit on top of Red Claw's head. "What do you have to offer?"

"Well," mused Sierra, "We _are_ fast."

"Our loyalty," Rinkus said, "We can offer our loyalty."

Sierra was not fazed by his friend's answer, knowing fully well how cunning the pink flyer really was. He then gave a nod of his head.

The corners of Orri's mouth were turned up into a pleased grin as he flapped his wings, returning to the air. "That will be more than enough. Follow me, then."

* * *

The small pack of dinosaurs wandered into the little known Ornith Valley. Separated by a stream of water with enough space for a dinosaur of Red Claw's size to walk across, the valley was divided into two parts.

"It was very wise of you to block all the not so obvious entrances," commented Red Claw, admiring Orri's handiwork.

"Why, thank you," replied Orri, who had made it so that only flyers could sneak in and out using the other entrances, "I do pride myself in it. You can either come in and let everyone see you, _or_ you can die trying to sneak in."

Orri's captains watched from their post. Hawthorn narrowed his eyes, as if he were second guessing his leader. "What is he _doing_?"

"Whatever he's doing," began Rowan, "I trust him. We'd best not question it."

Yarrow nodded in agreement, standing beside Rowan as he always did.

Orri led what was of his team so far to a large cavern a little ways from the entrance. "This is where you will sleep for now," he began to explain, "Until you've earned my trust. However, I must warn you— if you eat me or anyone else from the herd, then you will never be able to exact your revenge on those little kids. Just a small reminder. Well...goodnight. I will you see you all in the morning." Without another word, he took off and disappeared beyond the trees.

* * *

"Sir," said Rowan while they feasted on some freshly caught fish, "Forgive me for asking, but why did you bring those sharpteeth in? And those other flyers? What use are they to you?"

"Yes," agreed Hawthorn, surprisingly, "You should have killed that brown and pink flyer on the spot."

Orri peeled the silvery skin off of the fish with his beak, revealing it's red insides. "What good would that do if they can be of use to me? I've heard the stories — both of them have been to the Great Valley before, and I like the determination of the brown one. He's exactly what I need."

Rowan and Yarrow glanced at each other, briefly.

"But sir," said Yarrow, "What are you planning to do?"

"A raid," Orri answered simply. "We can attack from the sky, and we also have larger numbers." He had a moment of thoughtfulness, albeit brief, "I've noticed that our land is changing, and truthfully, we could all benefit from a land as fertile as the Great Valley."

"Then...why not ask them? We wouldn't prey on them. We'd only eat fish and keep to ourselves, right? I'm sure they wouldn't mind that, sir."

"If only it were that simple, sweet Yarrow. But those leaf eaters, they wouldn't listen to us. The moment they saw our sharp teeth, they would drive us out. Fear is the only way they will listen to us, because anything apart from that, they will never understand."


	34. Chapter 34: Nibbling Day

**Hey, guys. Here's a more (somewhat) lighthearted chapter to make up for the last one. I hope you all enjoy reading, and as always, please leave a review! Thank you, and have a nice week!**

* * *

Amelia sat in front of the cave, staring out past the lone tree star tree sitting on the top of the grass covered hill, along the fog covered horizon. The bright circle was just beginning to rise into the sky, vibrant streaks of pink and orange mixing in with the sky's lovely blue. A gentle but cold breeze drifted through the air, caressing the rainbow face's green scales. In the light of dawn, with her multicolored snout, she appeared to match the sky.

Tristan laid inside, finding that he had more room than usual to stretch and kick his legs. To him, this was very much out of the ordinary. He awoke to find the nest empty, and quickly rose to his feet. He peered towards his right, and saw that his daughters were still slumbering contentedly. He wouldn't bother them.

Stepping out into the light, he saw Amelia, looking directly ahead. He walked up, and seated himself beside her. "Good morning."

"Good morning, dear," replied Amelia, her gaze still fixed outwards.

Tristan yawned, throwing his head back. "I don't understand how you can get up so early...the bright circle's barely up."

"It's quite simple, really. As soon as I feel the bright circle in my face, I'm awake."

"I still don't see how you do it."

Amelia chuckled, and gave her mate's snout a brief prod with hers. "Don't worry about it. Let _me_ worry about getting up early."

Tristan touched her snout as a reciprocal gesture, allowing himself a rare smile. "So, what are you going to do for Nibbling Day today?"

"Whatever you're doing, handsome," Amelia cooed, offering a wink.

"Well then, let's go get some food."

* * *

While it was undeniable fact that Amelia and Tristan had spent much of their days in the mysterious beyond bickering and arguing, one could see that they cared for one another, especially now that their fates were no longer hanging in the balance.

They passed through the tall grass, Amelia snorting and laughing as Tristan beamed with a sense of accomplishment. At last, when her laughs dissolved into soft sighs, she lowered her neck to graze on a patch of grass among some white flowers. As she lifted her head, a blue winged buzzer flew past, causing Tristan to startle and fall over. Amelia then extended her neck outwards, chomping up the insect in one bite.

Tristan watched as she chewed the buzzer's blue body into tiny pieces, producing a loud crunching sound. She swallowed her meal, burping not even a minute later. Having an odd sense of humor, the pair burst into laughter once again.

* * *

It soon became apparent to Tristan and Amelia as they wandered across the valley that Nibbling Day was quite a grand occasion in the valley. There wasn't a single dinosaur that didn't know of it, and everyone seemed to be celebrating in preparation, in spite of the actual event not taking place until later in the day.

Mr. Threehorn stood next to Tria under the shade of the tall fir trees, talking to the rainbow faces — a rare sight to behold. Andy sat across from them, watching as his daughter played with Tricia, her threehorn friend.

The two dinosaurs were dragging around a tree branch, a tree branch that was a few sizes too big for them. However, the tiny dinosaurs made the best of it, babbling and giggling. Andy couldn't help but smile at the sight of his daughter playing to her heart's content, without any worry of being snatched up by sharpteeth. It was exactly what Diana would have wanted, maybe even more.

Andy looked up towards the clear, blue sky. "You'd be so happy to see this, Di. This place is amazing, but...I really wish you were here." Feeling melancholic, he then contented himself by grazing on some grass.

"So," Mr. Threehorn began, "I ran towards the tree, and rammed my head against it." He made a sort of pushing motion with his frill to emphasize his point. "Some tree stars fell, and that was when I knew I'd mastered being a threehorn."

"My mother told me that if you ram your head against a tree to get food, it means that you were born stupid,"Amelia said, her eyes absolutely deadpan.

"I'm surprised your horns didn't get stuck in the tree," Tristan added.

Mr. Threehorn huffed. "You're just jealous!"

"Not really," said Tristan, "Perhaps butting your head into things works for _you_ , but not so much for us. We'd crack our heads wide open."

"Then how do you get food from trees?"

"We don't. We eat from the ground. There _are_ dinosaurs who do that, you know."

A screech sounded from above the air, and Pterano's shadow quickly passed over them. Petrie, along with his brothers and sisters, cheered loudly as they hitched a ride on their uncle's back.

"Go faster, uncle!" One of the little flyers goaded him on.

Pterano gave a light hearted chuckle. "I'm going as fast as I can _go_ , child."

"Aw," crooned Tria, watching from below, "Pterano's so sweet to give the little ones a ride."

Mr. Threehorn scoffed in disgust, watching as the flyer became smaller, flying farther and farther away.

Then, another shadow looked over the group of dinosaurs, nearly blocking out the light of the bright circle. Amelia looked up, and smiled at the sight she saw. "Mr. and Mrs. Longneck," she said, as if announcing their presence, "It's good to see you."

"It's wonderful to see you too, dear," said Linda, lowering her neck to establish eye contact with the rainbow face.

"Are you excited for your first Nibbling Day?" Kenneth inquired, following the movements of his wife and lowering his neck so that he could have a proper conversation with the others.

"Well, all I know of it is that there's tree sweets involved...which is good enough for both of us, really," answered Amelia. "Anyway...what brings you here, may I ask?"

"We're here to watch our grandson," Linda replied simply.

"As well as the other children," added Kenneth. "They have a bit of a tendency to, um...wander off."

Amelia and Tristan glanced at each other, knowing that struggle all too well. Tristan then glanced towards the longnecks. "Yours too, huh? Our girls wandered off whenever they had the chance."

There was the rustling of grass as a bipedal dinosaur walked up towards the group. Lines of age were etched onto the grey-blue scales that covered his body, and his yellow eyes were tired yet stern.

"Have any of you seen Hyp?"

"I'm afraid not," said Kenneth, his red eyes concerned, "Where did you see him last?"

Tristan had never seen the dinosaur or his son before, but was able to find a resemblance when he noticed another dinosaur hanging about on the branch of a tree. "Up there," he said, pointing towards the tree.

Kenneth was wide eyed. "Oh, my."

"Kids!" Linda yelled in her urgent and worried manner, "Get down from there!"

Hyp's father looked up, and found that the rainbow face was correct. Hyp was standing on a sturdy branch, Mutt on his back, hooking his arms around the other's neck.

"Uh...Hyp..." He drew in a shuddering breath, "I-I don't wanna do this..."

"Oh relax, you big baby," scolded Hyp. Then, he looked downwards, where Mackenzie was lying on Nod's back. "You ready?"

"Just get on with it," Mackenzie yelled in return, "Nod's back is hurting _my_ back!"

"Well, your big, fat body is hurting _my_ back," griped Nod.

Littlefoot and Cera had been nearby, eating their fill, when they realized that Hyp and Mutt were both in the high treetops, and that their eyes were not deceiving them.

Cera narrowed her eyes. "What are those two up to now?"

Littlefoot swallowed his food. "How did they even get up there?"

Ruby, along with Chomper and Eva, came to observe.

"That is not a good idea," stated Ruby, "A good idea that is not."

"I kind of want to see what happens," said Eva.

"Hey, Ducky, Spike!" Chomper called eagerly, "Come look at this!"

Ducky, sitting on Spike's back as he munched on a bush, turned around. Then, she looked at her brother. "Come on, Spike. Let us go see what is happening."

Spike bellowed softly, taking one last bite before making his towards his friends.

"What is it, Chomper?" Ducky asked, looking curiously at the sharptooth.

"It's Hyp and Mutt," explained Chomper, "They're in the tree!"

Ducky felt that Chomper was telling a joke, but when she looked up and saw the two dinosaurs in the tree, she could not will back a gasp. "Oh, no, no, no! They should not do that!"

Hyp looked back at Mutt, grinning. "You ready?"

Mutt shook his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. "No..."

"Too bad." Sucking in a breath, Hyp bent his legs, his body coiling. Then, he leapt from the tree, plummeting towards the ground.

"Well, he's a goner," said Cera, her voice flat.

The parents watched with apprehension, not knowing what would become of the two dinosaurs. Hyp's father, fearful and angry, yelled out his son's name.

"HYP!"

Mackenzie lifted her legs, carefully positioning them into the right place. Hyp and Mutt drew closer towards her. When they were an inch away from her face, she kicked her legs up, hitting Hyp in the stomach.

Hyp and Mutt flew forward, landing on some sort of a rough surface.

Amelia's eyes widened as she watched them land. When she saw that there had been no physical damage done, her expression then contorted into a frown. "Kids, get off of Mr. Clubtail, _NOW_!"

"Huh?" Hyp, startled by the rainbow face's booming voice, looked down, and saw that he and Mutt had landed on the back of Mr. Clubtail, who had been enjoying a pleasant meal, until the pair of adolescents dropped in on him. Hyp and Mutt quickly skittered off.

"Darn kids," grumbled Mr. Clubtail, promptly walking off.

Kenneth smiled kindly at the dinosaur as he walked past them, feeling sympathetic. "Good morning, Mr. Clubtail."

Mr. Clubtail either ignored the longneck or didn't hear him, because he did not respond. Hyp and Mutt then ran over to where the adults had watched the entire scene unfold.

"Hey dad," Hyp said, offering a sheepish smile to somehow appeal to his father.

Hyp's father was beginning to tire of his antics. He was in no mood to scold him, and simply gave a sigh of disappointment. "Don't you ever learn?"

"Dad, I—" He began to defend himself, when he spotted Mackenzie sauntering over with Nod. He waited until they were face to face before opening his mouth again. "You didn't tell me our folks were watching!"

"I thought you knew," said Mackenzie, flashing a knowing grin, her brows raised in a way that seemed to mock him.

"That's enough, Mackenzie," said Amelia, placing a hand on her daughter's back, "Go fetch your sister."

"Okay, mom." Without further argument, with a little bounce in her step, Mackenzie ran off.

"Come on, son," said Hyp's father, exhausted.

"But dad," Hyp protested, " _She_ didn't get in trouble!"

"That's nothing for you to worry about, Hyp. Now, let's go."

"But—"

"Hyp."

Hyp sighed, defeated. "Fine..." He then began to follow his father.

"Bye, Hyp," said Mutt, waving his hand, "See you later!"

Hyp waved him off, not even bothering to look at him. "Yeah, whatever."

Kenneth turned towards Amelia, a chuckle escaping him. "That was, erm...quite uncharacteristic of you, Amelia. I've never seen you raise your voice."

"Oh, believe me," said Amelia, "This is very 'in character'."

"Mhm," Tristan said with a nod, "She can be quite frightening when she wants to be."

"Kind of like Topsy here," said Tria, gesturing to her mate.

Mr. Threehorn groaned under his breath, looking away. They all burst into laughter, enjoying themselves and each other's company.

* * *

Miriam and Mackenzie walked down the slope in silence. Miriam looked more at ease than her sister, who seemed to have something on her mind that was troubling her.

"Are you still thinking about that sleep story?"

Mackenzie sighed, looking up at the sky before looking at her sister. "It was just so vivid...it felt _so_ real, like it might actually happen."

"Mackenzie, I've told you before, nothing of that sort will happen." Her eyes softened. "It'll be alright."

"I know. I just— I need to keep my mind occupied so I stop thinking about it." She brought her hands to her temples, closing her eyes. "Think of something nice…think of something nice..."

"Like Gabriel."

"Yes, like Gabriel— hey!" Mackenzie's eyes snapped open, and she whipped her head to look at Miriam, who looked rather proud of herself. "You're lucky we're related, or else I'd put you into the ground."

Miriam paid no attention to her threat. "Come on, let's go see what Gabriel and Adam are up to."

When they arrived, Molly had her back turned towards her sons as she crouched down, using her arms to push the dirt covering the floor of the cave aside.

"Mom, come on," Adam pleaded, "Won't you please go out with us?"

"I'm sorry, son, but I'm busy."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because if I'm too busy digging, I'm too busy to think about your father."

"Mom, please listen," said Gabriel, "I know you miss dad. We miss him too, but he wouldn't want you to be like this."

"...I know," Molly said softly. "But it hurts too much. I wouldn't be able to bear seeing all those happy families… and I don't want to stop you from going off with your friends just because _I'm_ lonely."

"So...you're not going to come with us?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry, baby. I was never one for celebrations, anyway."

That was a blatant lie, and Gabriel knew it. Regardless, he indulged his mother. "...It's fine." He looked behind him. "Miriam and Mackenzie are here. We're going to go off with them. We'll bring you some food."

"Have fun, sweetie. Be back before dark."

"We will. Bye, mom. Love you."

"Love you too."

Reluctantly, Adam and Gabriel left their mother to her work, stepping outside with Miriam and Mackenzie.

"Is your mom okay?" Miriam asked.

"She still misses my dad," Gabriel answered.

Adam looked down at the grass, his eyes worried. "Do you think she'll ever be over it?"

"I don't think she'll ever be over it, Adam. She'll always miss dad, but I think that she'll be able to move on from it, eventually."

"I suppose...I know that dad wouldn't be able to go on if _he_ was in mom's place, though."

"My dad wouldn't be able to either," said Miriam, "He really loves our mom. I don't know what he would do if she—"

"Don't say that!" Mackenzie blurted out.

Miriam looked at her sister as if she were off her tail, and then shook her head, realizing the reason for the outburst. "Of course, that would never happen. Let's not talk about this anymore."

Gabriel shifted his worried gaze towards Mackenzie, but agreed to drop the subject. "I think everyone's going to eat the tree sweets now. Should we go?"

Mackenzie offered a slight nod, and the quartet of rainbow faces headed downwards to the tree sweet tree.

* * *

The pink tree sweets were in bloom, blossoming into a radiant pink, covered in dew drops. The entire Great Valley gathered around the tree, anticipating the sweet taste that made their mouths water. Mackenzie and Miriam, alongside Gabriel and Adam, ran up to stand beside Amelia and Tristan.

Amelia looked down at the adolescent rainbow faces, smiling kindly. "Hello, boys. Is your mother not here?"

"No," said Adam, " She wanted to stay home."

"Poor dear," Amelia murmured, feeling a pang of sadness for her grieving friend. "I wish there was more we could do for her."

Just as she began to say more, she was suddenly rained upon by a shower of tree sweets. She looked up, watching as more and more tree sweets fell to the ground. Tristan snatched one from the air, holding it out to her. She smiled knowingly before giving the flower's petals a firm tug, eating half of the plant, while Tristan ate the other half.

Then, at the same exact moment, they both burped. Tristan looked away in embarrassment, while Amelia brought a hand to her mouth and chortled. They exploded into laughter, taking a moment to embrace each other.

"Yuck," complained Mackenzie, scrunching her nose. "You guys are gross."

"Oh, hush," said Tristan, his arms hanging loosely around his mate's figure, "How do you think _you_ came into existence?"

Mackenzie folded her arms. "Still gross."

Elsewhere, Eva caught a fluffy pink tree sweet that landed in her arms. She brought the flower to her nostrils, sniffing the petals. She then looked to Chomper, who snacked happily on some crawlers hiding under a log.

"Do you guys actually like this?"

"Well, I don't," said Chomper, "But everyone else does."

"Yeah," said Cera with a mouth full of tree sweets, "You two like those nasty buzzers."

"I think they taste good," Chomper mumbled somewhat sadly.

"Chomper and Eva are sharpteeth, Cera," chirped Ruby, walking over, "Sharpteeth they are."

"I noticed," groaned Cera.

"Ruby's right," said Littlefoot, "They like different food than we do."

Eva let the tree sweet fall to the ground. Spike did not hesitate to walk over and snatch it up with his tongue.

"At least Spike got an extra snack," she said, offering a good natured giggle.

* * *

After some time, Amelia and Tristan walked away from the others, having eaten their fill. They climbed the upwards slope, although Amelia seemed to struggle a bit with the climb.

"Are you alright?" Tristan asked her once she'd made it over and they'd begun walking towards the grasslands.

"Yes, I'm fine. It was just a bit steep. I've yet to get used to all this climbing, you know."

"Amelia...we lived on a mountain."

"Now you're just making fun of the fact that I can't climb very well."

" _Amelia. Hello_."

Amelia turned away to find Mr. Thicknose approaching steadily. She'd never talked to him in person, but was amazed with his vast knowledge of the outside world.

"Mr. Thicknose, good afternoon," she greeted, dipping her head slightly.

"How do you know _everyone_ here?" Tristan questioned, his voice softer than a whisper.

"Because I actually _talk_ to them," Amelia whispered back.

"How are you?" Mr. Thicknose inquired. "Is your first Nibbling Day going well?"

"Well, it's a bit strange that we actually have more than enough food to go around, really. I mean, food was so scarce in the mysterious beyond...but I suppose we _are_ enjoying it. Thank you."

"Of course. But I say, you've seen more of the world than I have. What is it like for you, out there?"

"Harsh and unforgiving," Tristan answered. "I wouldn't recommend it."

"But we did have stories that we told occasionally," said Amelia. "It was a good way to get the children to fall asleep."

"Indeed," replied Mr. Thicknose, chuckling, "Many of our little ones won't go to sleep until Mr. Longneck tells them a story. What stories do your kind tell?"

"The more popular ones are about a figure called the Rainbow Prince. He was the first rainbow face, but was very boastful and foolish. Many of the stories about him are cautionary tales."

"Oh, my...that certainly is something. Er, forgive me if this question comes as a bit strange, you rainbow faces have always been somewhat of a mystery— does your kind know anything about what might lie beyond the mysterious beyond?"

"Um...not really. Well— we do know there's so much more we don't know about, but that's just it— we don't know."

The juvenile rainbow faces, having eaten as much as their hearts desired, began the trek back towards home. Suddenly, at some point, Mackenzie crumpled to her knees, covering her eyes. This was actually quite contradicting, as when she closed her eyes, all she saw was the image of her mother amongst the green leaves, gradually fading away and becoming nothing more than an empty space. She knew what this strange vision entailed, but was not very fond of the message.

"NO!" She hollered. "No, no, no! Mom!"

Miriam ran to her sister's side, gently nudging her with her snout. "Mackenzie! Mackenzie, what's wrong?"

"Mackenzie?" Gabriel hovered over her, worried to death, "Mackenzie! Answer me!"

Mackenzie's breathing quickened, her limbs twitching as she moaned. "Mom..."

Miriam looked at Adam and Gabriel. All three of them knew what had to be done. "Stay here and watch over her," she commanded, "I'm going to go get my mother."

"Just go," said Adam. "Hurry."

Miriam nodded silently, and ran off.

Amelia had been waving goodbye to Mr. Thicknose when she heard her daughter's distant voice.

"Mom!" Miriam came into view, running towards her mother, out of breath.

"What is it, Miriam? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Mackenzie's calling for you. She needs you."

Amelia and Tristan exchanged worried glances, both of them silently making the decision to follow their daughter.

When they arrived at the clearing, Mackenzie was still in the same position as before — limbs twitching, eyes closed, lying on the ground. Amelia darted towards her without any hesitation.

Mackenzie, with her eyes still closed, stood up. Then, she opened her eyes to meet those of her mother's. Amelia had a fearful and worried look in her eyes, as if she wasn't sure what to expect.

"It's alright, Mackenzie," she said calmly, "I'm here."

Mackenzie looked to her father, and then her mother. When she peered into those gentle sea blue eyes which always looked upon her with the uttermost adoration and love, Mackenzie couldn't bring herself to voice her troubles.

Amelia lowered her brows, her voice as soft as the whispering wind. "What is it, Mackenzie?"

"I...I was just thinking about a bad sleep story I had. It just felt really real, and...I got scared."

Amelia knew that her daughter had always been plagued by troubling sleep stories from the time she was very young. She held Mackenzie's chin in her hands. "I'm so sorry, love. How would you like me to stay with you?"

Mackenzie managed a smile and allowed her mother to walk her home. Tristan glanced towards the worried faces of Gabriel and Adam.

"You boys should go. There's not much you can do here. Thank you for watching over her until her mother and I arrived."

Gabriel and Adam obliged, bidding Tristan goodbye before walking up the hill. Tristan watched them depart, and then rushed to catch up with his wife and daughters.

* * *

Amelia remained with Mackenzie until the bright circle began to lower. She told her daughter about the wonderful times they'd had, reminding her that she wasn't going anywhere. When Mackenzie fell asleep at last, Amelia felt some sense of peace, but refused to leave her daughter's side.

Down the corridor, Tristan spoke to Miriam as the father and daughter relieved themselves with some ferns.

"Miriam, when you go in, do you think you can tell your mother to come to bed? She shouldn't be up for too long."

"Dad, you worry too much. It's not even dark yet."

Tristan gazed into his daughter's eyes, pleading with her to not pick up an argument.

Miriam sighed, standing up. "You're just lonely without her, aren't you?"

"Miriam..."

"I'm going, I'm going." She disappeared into the corridor, making her way to the nest. "Mom?"

Amelia shifted her tired eyes away from Mackenzie, looking up at her other daughter. "Yes, dear?"

"Dad wants you to come to bed."

"But what about your sister?"

"I'll stay with her, mom. It's alright. You should go."

Amelia couldn't deny how tuckered out she was. She relented, and stood up. "Thank you, Miriam. Good night."

"Night, mom." Miriam curled up next to her sister, watching her as she slept.

* * *

"Miriam's with her now," Amelia announced, practically tossing herself onto the bed of leaves and grass with a thud that caused some of the bedding to fly off into the air, "They're both sleeping."

Tristan watched as she made herself comfortable before resting her head. "Is Mackenzie doing better?"

"Yes. She was much more relaxed, which I believe is a good sign."

"That's good." Tristan gave a sigh, looking downwards at his wife, who had closed her eyes. He grinned. "You've been getting a bit lazy, haven't you?"

"Just tired," she mumbled, opening her mouth wide to let out a yawn, "Raising children is exhausting..."

Tristan scoffed. "Tell me about it."

"Did you have fun today?"

"Well...yes, I suppose I did. It's amazing how much food they have. There's so much to spare."

"I know. I remember when Miriam and Mackenzie would fight over a single tree star."

Tristan burst into chuckles, smiling fondly at the memory. "Oh, yes. Those were not our proudest moments as parents."

"They're still alive and healthy, so there's that. We weren't complete failures."

"You're right about that."

Amelia lifted her head, leaning against Tristan's shoulder. "I can't wait to do this again."

Tristan smiled, and happily sunk into the embrace. "Neither can I."


	35. Chapter 35: The Secret Passageway

**Sorry for the week long wait for the new chapter, but I made this one pretty long to make up for it. I had two AP exams this week, which was why this took so long to write, not to mention I lacked a bit of motivation to write this chapter, so I just wrote some stuff on the side to help with it, and watched some dinosaur documentaries to motivate me to write and to help with some of the imagery.**

 **I'm pretty pleased with it, and I hope you all like it as well. There may be some spelling errors that I missed in editing, so please forgive me for that. :,) Enjoy, leave feedback, and as usual, have a great week!**

* * *

 _Click_... _click_... _click_...

The continuous clicking sound echoed through the trees, produced by a small flyer of some sort. The flyer would wait, and there would be another series of clicks before it responded. The tiny but agile creature seemed to be communicating with another of it's kind.

Amelia laid at the foot of the tree, curled up into a ball amongst the leaves, the gray down feathers, and the sturdy roots. Her neck arched, she buried her beak into her side, watching her family from the cool concealment of the tree.

Tristan waded in the water of the rounded pond, the light reflecting onto it creating small triangles that ebbed and flowed along with the current. His cumbersome body created large splashes as he shifted his weight around, his daughters chasing after him.

"We've got you, dad!" Mackenzie shouted out, clearly feeling a great deal better than she did on Nibbling Day.

Miriam laughed, holding onto the edge of the bank and kicking her legs, showering her father in water droplets.

"Girls," he laughed, "Stop it! You're teenagers, you're too old for these games!"

Amelia smiled to herself. It did her weary self some good to see that her family was able to rejoice and play, and that she didn't have to worry for their safety. She felt much more at ease nowadays, and after many trialing years, she was beginning to fall in love with Tristan all over again.

She attempted to move her leg slightly, but found that it had fallen asleep in the long window of time she'd remained unmoved. Grunting softly, she managed to maneuver her leg a little, finally moving into the position she wanted. Then, she curled back up.

"Mackenzie, Miriam!" Tristan's panicked voice could be heard from the pond as his daughters gained on him. "Stop! No, no, no— stop. Stop— Oof!" He was then tackled by the both of them, falling down with a huge splash.

Water went in all sorts of directions — on the grass, the bark of the trees, and even on Amelia. Amelia stirred, lifting her head, shaking the water from her scales with a startled expression on her face.

Tristan climbed out from the pond, the reflection of the light shining through the leaves briefly passing over him as he made his way to where his mate lounged. He shook himself dry, looking back to see his daughters still playing with each other.

"Sorry," he finally said to Amelia, lowering his head and pressing his snout to hers, "I didn't mean to splash you."

"It's fine," Amelia said kindly but dismissively, "I'm glad to see you and the girls playing together. You all looked like you had so much fun."

"We did," confirmed Tristan, sitting by one of the tree's roots, "I just wish you could have joined us."

"Sorry about that, love." She took a moment to tenderly rub his chin, as if she were soothing an injury. "I was just feeling a little bit under the weather. Just, you know— tired and sore."

"Well, in that case, I'd hate for you to have to push yourself for no good reason. Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes, I am. I think that with some rest and some food, I'll be up to scratch in no time."

"I'm glad. I'll be honest, you had me worried there for a bit."

"I did? With what? All this barely happened today, dear."

"With that pain in your side," Tristan answered, looking confused, "I'd noticed that it seemed to be bothering you a great deal, but you would always brush me off whenever I wanted to talk about it."

"Tristan, I brushed you off because it was nothing to worry about. I think I would know if it was something awful."

"You can't know that. It could be fatal, and you might never know, because it might be something that doesn't have any real signs."

Her husband made a valid point, one that she couldn't quite argue with. "Very well. Let's just forget about it, then."

"How does forgetting about it make it any better?"

"It doesn't. It puts it off until I'm ready to deal with it. Come now, would you like to nap with me?"

"There's not much else to do, is there?"

Amelia chuckled, leaning against Tristan. "Not really. But I'm sure you'd much rather take this as opposed to our old home."

Tristan laid his tail on top of hers, staring out towards the horizon. His eyes traveled towards his daughters, who were chasing mercilessly after a green scaled lizard, who was running on all fours to desperately try and get away. After some time, he realized that Amelia had said something.

"What was that, dear?"

In response, he received mostly silence, with the exception of a few light snores. He looked down, and saw that Amelia was already fast asleep, resting her head on the crook of his neck. A hint of a smile on his face, he resolved to remain with her.

* * *

Littlefoot and his friends came walking down the hill. Chomper and Eva were far ahead of them, having picked up the scent of the lizard from miles away.

"He's here," said Chomper, sniffing, "I can smell him."

Cera let out a sigh of exasperation, kicking a rock with her front foot. "How can you two even smell that from so far away?"

"We're hunters," Eva said in simple terms, "Being able to see our food isn't good enough. We need to be able to smell them too. At least...that's what my mom says."

Petrie flapped his wings in midair for a brief moment before landing on the grass in front of the two sharpteeth. "Me still no understand how you can eat something so...icky."

"We don't need to understand it, Petrie," said Littlefoot, "We just need to accept it."

Ruby briefly nodded in agreement before spotting the two rainbow faces darting towards them. "Look! There are Miriam and Mackenzie!"

Chomper spotted a blur of green skittering across the grass. "And there's the lizard!" He took a snap out of it, chasing it into a nearby bush. He and the rainbow faces waited for a minute, and another bright, vibrantly colored red lizard emerged.

The overexcited expression fled from Miriam and Mackenzie's faces as they each took a step back. Their parents had informed them of the warning signs creatures often sent out. Bright colors were only one of them.

Chomper opened his mouth wide, but Eva urged him to back down. "Chomper, don't," she warned, extending her arm.

Chomper looked up at her, confused. "Why not?"

"It's poisonous. Haven't your parents told you about brightly colored creatures not being safe to eat?"

"Well..." Chomper tried hard to recall any such conversation. "I _think_ they did. But that was a long time ago, and...I forgot."

"I have never heard of that," said Ducky, watching as the lizard ran off elsewhere. "No, no, no."

"Yeah, me neither," added Cera, "How do you _know_?"

"Well," said Mackenzie, "Your parents might not have brought it up because you guys don't _eat_ lizards."

"Although," said Miriam, "I suppose the same thing could apply to green food. If it's too brightly colored, then it probably isn't good for you."

Cera's eyes widened in surprise at the new knowledge she'd obtained, as well as the sudden loss in appetite. "Great...I'll keep that in mind."

"If that lizard is poisonous," began Littlefoot, "Shouldn't we try to rid of it?"

"He won't do any real damage, don't worry," said Mackenzie.

"But you just said he was poisonous," argued Chomper.

"He is. But he preys on creatures his size. If you eat him, though, your insides will be coming out of your mouth."

Cera cringed, sticking her tongue out in disgust. "Well, that's a pretty picture that I won't be forgetting any time soon."

Spike shook his head, trying to shake the grotesque mental image given by Mackenzie's vivid description.

"So," said Littlefoot, "What are we going to do today?"

"We could play in the watering hole," suggested Ducky, sitting atop Spike's head.

"The watering hole?" Cera repeated, clearly repulsed by the idea, "What's so great about the watering hole? And besides, doesn't everyone _drink_ from there?"

"Well, yes, but it is a lot of fun to play in. It is, it is!"

"Yeah, no thanks."

"Maybe we should try someplace new," said Littlefoot. "There's a lot of the valley we haven't explored yet."

"Ooh, me like the sound of that," interjected Petrie, flying upwards and flapping his wings.

"In that case," said Miriam, "We'll have to tell our parents first. Our dad has a tendency to worry."

"We'll be right back," said Mackenzie, following her sister.

The two rainbow faces loped back to where their parents laid. Tristan turned his head when he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the path.

"Hey, dad!" Mackenzie called out as she screeched to a halt. "We're going to go search the valley with Littlefoot and the others. We're going to just walk around and see if we'll find a new place to play. Can we?"

Tristan looked uncertain. "Well...your mother and I don't quite know our way around the valley that well yet. How will we find you when it's time for you to come home?"

"We'll come to you."

"I don't know..."

"It's alright with me," Amelia intervened, having stirred from her nap. When Tristan gave her a look, she rolled her eyes and then pleaded with him. "Oh, just let them go, Tristan. They're with their friends. It's better than them sitting around and doing nothing all day."

"You mean like we are right now?"

"Exactly. Besides, they aren't exactly hatchlings anymore. We'll have to trust that they will do is expected of them and come back home on time, and not wander too far." She glanced at her daughter, sneaking in a smile. "And I _do_ trust them."

Mackenzie was desperate for an affirmative answer, offering a toothy grin to persuade her father. "Oh, come on, dad. _Please_?"

Cornered, Tristan was forced to give in. "Alright," he said with a sigh of defeat. "Just be back before the bright circle falls. And don't go anywhere we won't be able to find you if the need arises."

"Oh, thank you, dad!" She grinned wide, and briefly nuzzled his chin before starting off into a run. Before she could get anywhere, her mother grabbed her by the tail.

"Not so fast," said Amelia, gently pulling Mackenzie into her arms. "You smell like you slept in a mud pool." She then proceeded to lick the scales covering Mackenzie's body, cleaning the dirt and debris off of her.

"Mom," Mackenzie fussed, trying to escape, "Mom, stop it! I'm clean now!"

Tristan could not help himself. He burst into amused laughter, reminded of days long past — when the girls would play in the mud and soak themselves from head to toe in disgusting, brown filth and they would later pay the price when Amelia bathed them, or when they would injure themselves while pulling off some disastrous stunt, and their mother would chide them for doing something so foolish.

At last, with a grunt and a powerful leap, Mackenzie managed to break free. "Okay, okay, can I go now?"

"Of course you can, dear," said Amelia, laughing, "Have fun." She watched as her daughters ran off, comfortably leaning against Tristan once more, her eyelids slowly falling over her eyes like a curtain.

"Are you sure they'll be alright?" Tristan asked, his tail raised a few inches, "I mean...we'll have no idea where they are. It's not like the usual when we know that we can find them by the watering hole."

Amelia sighed, knowing that no matter how content they were, Tristan's worry and anxiety would be ever-present. Not that she blamed him, but she oftentimes found herself providing her husband with constant reassurance. "I know. I understand your worry, but we'll just have to hope that they'll use the knowledge we've given them over the years to keep themselves safe."

"Mm." Tristan concurred with her statement and turned before placing his head atop hers. "How are you so smart?"

"I'm not. I feel it's just common sense."

Tristan pulled away, frowning, as if he felt insulted. "Are you saying I'm stupid?"

"I never said that. _You_ just did, though."

"Putting words in my mouth now, are you? Very funny."

Amelia laughed, opening her eyes and looking upwards. "Love you, Tristan."

Tristan smirked, allowing himself a gentle chuckle. "Mhm. Sure you do." Heaving a sigh, he closed his eyes and resumed his prior position. "...I love you too."

* * *

Miriam and Mackenzie eventually caught up with the others. They took a moment to give their bodies a chance to relax before relaying the answer they'd received.

"Our parents said we can go," said Miriam, "We just have to be back before it gets dark."

"Okay, sounds good," replied Littlefoot. "Are Gabriel and Adam coming?"

"No, they're staying with their mom. Let's not bother them."

"Alright, then. We'd better get going."

So, they began their seemingly aimless trek around the Great Valley. They'd barely walked a couple of feet when Mackenzie suddenly stopped in her tracks. "Uh…guys?"

The others turned around, shifting their curious looks towards the rainbow face.

"I gotta go," Mackenzie said hurriedly, clenching her jaw, " _Bad_."

Littlefoot's eyes widened as he caught her meaning. "Oh! Well...we'll wait here. Don't worry."

"Littlefoot," grumbled Cera, "We don't have time for this."

"Thanks, it'll just take a second." Mackenzie rushed off past the bushes, and did what she needed to do. The grass rustled as she hurried to and fro. "Okay. I'm fine now. Let's go."

Once again, they resumed their journey. Initially, the prospect was exciting, like an opportunity to go on an adventure. However, the group of adolescents soon came to realize that they'd explored much of the valley, and wondered if there was anything left to explore.

"This is pointless," groaned Cera, "Let's go home."

Petrie swooped down, resting on top of Cera's frill. "Me gotta say, me like the sound of that much better."

"Oh, come on you guys," said Littlefoot, "There's gotta be something that we haven't explored yet."

"I agree with you, Littlefoot," said Ducky, "But I do not think we have all day to find it. No, no, no."

"I think we're all just cranky from walking around all day," reasoned Ruby. "Maybe we should rest in that cave over there." She pointed her finger directly ahead, towards what appeared to be a cave amongst the moss covered rocks.

"I am not going in there," stated Ducky, "What if it is not empty?"

Littlefoot glanced at his friends, and then began to step forward, putting one foot in front of the other as he advanced towards the cave. "Only one way to find out."

Cera was highly tempted to leave the longneck be, and simply walk away, but she knew herself better than that. "Come on," she said, groaning, "We better go and follow him."

Littlefoot stood at the mouth of the cave, his feet barely crossing over to where the grass turned into rough earth.

"It seems empty," he deduced. "Come on, let's have a closer look."

"Littlefoot?" Chomper tugged on the longneck's tail. "I really don't have a good feeling about this..."

"Yeah," agreed Petrie, "It _really_ dark in there..."

Littlefoot lowered his brows. "You guys really don't want to go in there?"

"I've never been here before in my life, Littlefoot," said Cera, "We could easily get lost."

"Well...we did want to find a place we'd never seen before, right?"

Cera sighed in defeat. "There's just no stopping you, is there?" When Littlefoot smiled at her sheepishly, she sighed again. "Come on."

Sticking close together, the friends went on inside. The faint sound of dripping water could be heard, but other than that, it was completely silent.

"Looks like a cavern," said Miriam, analyzing the pointed gray stalagmites hanging from the top of the structure. "There must be water here, somewhere."

There were certain areas of the cavern where light did not enter. In those places, concealed by darkness, creatures had made their homes. Disturbed by the sound of footsteps, one of these creatures began to stir. Blind, it relied on a special sense to pick up the sound waves caused by the other dinosaurs. The creature spread it's large wings, producing a heavy rustling noise.

Eva, with her heightened sense of awareness, was able to pick up even the softest sound. She gasped, turning her head. There was nothing there.

"This is not very fun," Ducky said, clutching the flat plates on Spike's back rather tightly, "Nope, nope, nope."

"I think we should get out of here while we still—" Cera was interrupted midway by a pained hiss, having hit her foot against a pointy rock protruding from the wall of the cavern. A deafening thud echoed through the cavern, the impact causing the stalagmites to tremble, moments before one of them was shaken lose and plummeted to the ground.

"Watch out!" Littlefoot cried out, steering clear of the pointed earth. The stalagmite lodged itself into the ground, sending a cloud of dust flying through the cavern, passing over as quickly as it came.

There was a series of clicks, progressively growing louder and louder, and then the sound of flapping wings. The creatures resting in the dark had been awakened, and were now flying towards the juvenile dinosaurs. Their huge wings hit the stalagmites as they fled in a frenzy, creating a shower of pointed rocks falling towards the ground.

In a panic, the young dinosaurs ran towards the exit closest to them, knowing that they wouldn't be able to go back that same way, due to the large and heavy stalagmites blocking the open space which would allow them to pass through. Once the dust had cleared, Littlefoot looked back towards the open space, now heavily obstructed.

"Well...we won't be able to go back the way we came."

"Great," Cera said, her voice dripping heavily with sarcasm.

"We'll find a way out. Don't worry."

"Well, if we hadn't listened to you, we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."

"You lot better not start fighting," interrupted Mackenzie, "Because that's the last thing we need right now."

"Mackenzie's right," said Ruby, "Look. Down there— I see a light."

Littlefoot looked ahead, and saw a faint yellow light, like sunlight, at the end of the long pathway. Suddenly, he felt a slight ray of hope. "I see it too. Let's go!"

The dinosaurs ran down the pathway, along a winding stream directly below several more stalagmites dripping with moisture. As they edged closer, they felt hopeful. Perhaps, they weren't doomed, after all.

But when they stepped out into the light, they were met with a barren wasteland — one that they had seen many times before.

"This not the Great Valley," said Petrie, making the obvious known.

Cera looked out at the dry landscape, and then back at the opening from which they came. "No...it's not. We literally just went through the Great Wall!"

"What?" Littlefoot asked in disbelief. When he looked behind him, he found that the threehorn was telling the truth. They had, quite literally, gone straight through the barrier that shielded the Great Valley from any threats that the great beyond could throw at the residents. And now, if they were spotted by sharpteeth or other potential threats, the valley would be in great peril.

"We need to get back in," said Littlefoot, snapping back to reality, "Now! Quick, before anybody sees us!"

They scrambled back inside at once, running until they could no longer feel the bright circle's light shining upon them. Mackenzie waded into the stream, taking a drink to quench her thirst.

"How can you think about taking a drink at a time like this?" Cera interrogated, frowning at the rainbow face.

"I'm thirsty," Mackenzie said simply, "Sure, we may be lost, but there's water here. Might as well make use of it. That's what my mother told me — even when a situation seems bad, there's always _something_ to look forward to."

"And to focus on the present," said Miriam, adding on, "If you're worried about the future, you can't really focus on anything else. We'll find a way out of this. I know we will."

Littlefoot managed a smile, despite their seemingly hopeless plight. "Are those the wisdoms that your parents taught you?"

"You could call them that," answered Mackenzie, climbing out of the stream and shaking herself dry. "Anyway, what should we do now? You want to stay here or you want to try and find a way out?"

"I think we should stay here. We don't want to get even more lost."

"But, Littlefoot," Ducky said in protest, "If we stay here, we might be found by some other not so nice creatures who may want to eat us. I really do not like thinking about it. No, I do not."

"Then stop _talking_ about it," retorted Mackenzie.

"Our folks will find us," Littlefoot tried to reassure them, as well as himself, "They'll notice we're gone."

Cera was frightened, but managed to effectively mask her fear through impudent remarks. "Okay, what are we supposed to do until then?"

"We wait."

"Oh, okay. Good, good. I thought you actually had a plan."

"You're not helping, Cera," Littlefoot said in a flat tone of voice, furrowing his brows in annoyance.

"Um...Littlefoot?" Eva's meek voice sounded uncertain and afraid. "I know that staying here seems like our safest bet, but we never even noticed this cavern was there until Ruby pointed it out. It might be days before the adults choose to search in here."

"Not to mention there isn't that much for _you_ guys to eat," said Chomper, "Some of us can eat the little buzzers and ground crawlers hidden under the rocks, but...there's no green food here."

"For once, I agree with the sharpteeth," said Cera.

Littlefoot glanced at his friends, his red eyes somewhat sad. He looked as if he were trying to remain hopeful, but it was becoming difficult. "I know. I know it seems bad, but we'll get out of this. I promise."

* * *

The heat had simmered down, leaving a cool and calming breeze whispering to the trees. Tristan remained as he was, although his muscles were beginning to cramp from remaining in a static position for so long. His wife was leaning against him, asleep, nearly immovable in her slumber.

 _I never knew she could sleep so much in one day_ , he thought silently. He watched her closely, listening to the sound of her snoring, producing a noise akin to that of a creaking log. As numb as his legs were, to the point that he couldn't even move them, he wouldn't disturb her peaceful rest. Amelia had put up with his nonsense for many years, and not once did she complain or speak to him with ill intended words. She always maintained a level head during their tiffs, and no matter how much her patience with him wore thin, she never lost her temper. She deserved many good things, but a chance to sleep in peace was one of them.

His watchful gaze traveled away from her for a moment to take in the sound of various creatures crying out and communicating with others of their kind in their own unique fashion, and to feel the gentle wind that seemed to cradle his face in the same way that his mother did, once. It was then that he noticed the lack of loud snoring, and even worse, the lack of breaths huffed onto his neck. _Amelia_! _No_! _Oh, please, no_!

When he looked back at Amelia, she had gone completely still. She remained in the same position, but made no movement. Tristan was astonished, and not quite so in the manner that he would like to be, as if he'd just witnessed a feat of nature, but more so in a panicked frenzy that made him feel as if his heart were being pushed down to the pit of his stomach. He'd felt it many times before, but never this severe — he truly felt that he might faint, and he looked like it too. There was no feeling in the world as painful as that during which it appeared the love of his life, his driving flame and summation of his motivation, had vanished from the realm of the living for good, never to return.

"Amelia?" He nudged her gently, hoping to elicit some sort of response from her. When he received nothing, he rushed into a blind panic, throwing aside any logic or reason. "Amelia! Wake up!" He screamed and squawked in her face like a maniac, butting his head into hers in a desperate effort to create some sort of stimuli that would shock her body enough for her to respond to the pain.

"Ow!" Amelia awoke suddenly to a blunt force making contact with her head, and to the sound of a terrified, masculine sounding voice screaming her name. The pain throbbed against her head, forcing her eyes open. "Tristan? Why are you screaming?" She rubbed the palm of her hand across her temple, hissing, mostly due to pain. "And why did you butt my head so _hard_?"

"Amelia...?" When Tristan saw her staring up at him with those miffed blue eyes, he knew right then that she'd never know just how much his heart had lifted in that moment. "You're alright?"

Amelia looked at him strangely, as if he'd recited to her a joke that she didn't quite understand. "Of course I'm alright. Why, what's wrong?"

"You stopped breathing while you were asleep," Tristan began to explain, tears threatening to fall, "I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't answer me."

"Tristan, I did _not_ stop breathing," Amelia said, clearly not taking his words seriously, "If I'd stopped breathing, I'd be dead."

"I'm serious!" Tristan cried out, unable to stop his voice from cracking, "You really did! I know you keep on saying that you feel fine, but this happened to you while you were asleep! Thank our lucky stars that I was able to wake you up. What if it happens again, and I'm _not_ awake next time?"

Amelia had only seen Tristan shed tears a few times before. It wasn't something he did often, only when he was truly in distress. She knew then that this had really given him a fright, and that it wasn't something to be taken lightly. "I'm sorry, dear. That must have been terrifying for you." She touched her nose to his. "But you know how things are. Whatever happens, happens. Even if it seems unfair or cruel."

"I know. Let's hope that it doesn't come to pass." He briefly covered her cheek in soft, wet licks of his tongue. "You should eat something. We'll go to look for the girls in a little bit."

* * *

Water trickled down the large crystal stalagmites, into the stream below. Cera lay near a shallow puddle, her bored green eyes watching as the droplets of water created small ripples which continued to grow until finally dissipating. Sullen, she looked over at Littlefoot, who was sitting in the center of the complicated pathways that surrounded them. She padded over to him.

He had his snout pointed upwards, his eyes focused. He seemed to be trying to smell something — something that he couldn't quite place his paw on. "You know," he said, "There seems to be fresh air coming from somewhere…"

"Might just be another dead end," said Cera, already losing what little shred of hope she'd managed to hang on to.

"But there has to be another way out," Littlefoot insisted. "This cavern is really complicated. There must be more than one way out of here— we're just not seeing it yet."

Chomper walked over, sitting himself down besides the longneck. "But which way do we go, Littlefoot?"

Cera suddenly rose to her feet, kicking a pebble aside. "Who cares? As long as we're moving."

"Eva, Chomper," Littlefoot called out, "You guys have a good sense of smell. What do you think?"

Eva and Chomper lifted their snouts, sampling a scent of the air. They both glanced at each other, engaging in a silent conversation.

"Let's try this one," Eva decided, gesturing to the tunnel on the far right. Having faith in her senses and her instinct, she marched ahead, sparing herself one last glimpse of her friends.

Miriam and Mackenzie followed her without hesitation, and they were followed by Chomper and Ruby, who were followed by everyone else. They all made sure to stick together. Even if they were hopelessly lost with no clear end in sight, at least they had the comfort of each other's company.

* * *

Meanwhile, Amelia relished the sweet taste of the spiky shutes of grass that she pulled from it's roots with her beak and claws. Her long arms provided excellent leverage, allowing her to effectively yank large clumps of grass from their roots. Tristan was bent over her, nipping at the various tiny parasites that had settled on her back, choosing her as their host.

"Piss off," he grumbled as the insects fled from her back, buzzing in his face. "Nasty little buggers."

Amelia failed to repress a giggle. "It's so nice of you to try and ward them off, dear."

"Eh, don't mention it. I know how annoying they can be. They practically raise their children on our backs. It's nasty — and not to mention itchy."

"Tristan, they're just living their lives. Don't be so harsh."

"Well, they can live their lives somewhere else."

Amelia flashed a smile, one that showed that she knew her husband would never change, and that she was glad of it. She then looked up at the sky, dotted with millions of tiny clouds. It was already rather late into the day, and there was no sign of their children anywhere. Amelia wasn't one to worry, but even she was bothered by a strange tickle that just wouldn't go away.

"Tristan..."

"I know. Do you want to go look for them now?"

Amelia nodded her head, so Tristan slowly helped her to her feet. It was a bit of a struggle, and she was a bit unsteady, but they managed it.

"I say," huffed Tristan, propping her up onto her feet with a nudge, "It's as if you're ten years older than you actually are."

"Well I definitely _feel_ like it," Amelia joked as she finally found a way to support her weight, although a small part of her really did feel older and was telling the truth, "I'm getting too old for this."

"Don't talk rot," Tristan spat, glancing over at her while beginning to move ahead, "Linda's far older than you are, and she's in tip top shape. Come on now. I'll try to walk slow so you can keep up."

Amelia slowly lifted her feet off of the grass, placing each foot in front of the other in small intervals, as if she were learning how to walk again. Once she'd walked more than a few feet, it wasn't nearly as hard. "I'm telling you, I'm aging way too fast. Right now, it's just sleeping all day — soon, I won't be able to walk at all!"

Tristan quirked a brow as he ambled forward. "You want to place a bet on that?"

"Hm...might as well."

"Alright. How much?"

"Fifty red berries. If what I say ends up being true, you have to collect fifty red berries for your darling wife."

Tristan smirked visibly, not even bothering to try and suppress his grin. Despite being full grown adults who had been married and hatched eggs, they still entertained the idea of childish bets on foolish things of no real purpose.

"Well then, my darling wife...it's a deal."

* * *

The group of dinosaurs darted across the floor of the cave, the force of their feet hitting the earth creating small clouds of dust. They were fortunate that the cavern lacked any large predators, for the sound of their panting would have easily given them away. As they ran, Mackenzie had some kind of an epiphany.

She screeched to a halt, the dirt burning against the soles of her feet. Her breath hitched, her eyes widening. "Wait! Don't go any further!"

The others came to a complete stop, waiting on Mackenzie to explain. However, Cera wasn't having it.

"Just go! We don't have time for this!" With a great leap, Cera rammed Mackenzie forward with her horn, not even bothering to think twice about her actions.

"Woah— AHH!" Mackenzie was practically thrown off what appeared to be a cliff, barely managing to latch her claws along the edge. Miriam, alarmed but also having a sense of urgency, managed to keep calm as she grabbed the flap of her sister's neck with her beak, and gently hauled her back onto higher ground.

"Cera!" Mackenzie scolded, coldly staring the threehorn in the eye. "You almost knocked me in!"

"But there's a way out," Cera cried, her panic overriding her anger, "Littlefoot said there was!"

Littlefoot no longer seemed as certain as he once was. If anything, he was fearful of the future as well. "I'm sorry, Cera," he said, offering a sigh of disappointment. "We have to go back."

Cera peered over the edge, staring downwards into the dark depths. "And here I was, thinking we were actually going to get out of here." She huffed, turning tail and fleeing the scene.

Littlefoot watched her leave, lowering his neck and offering yet another dismayed sigh. He hated feeling so helpless.

"It will be alright, Littlefoot," said Ducky, attempting to lift her friend's spirit. "We will get out of here. We will, we will!" She paused for a second, her large blue eyes drifting away from him. "...I hope."

"Hurry, Littlefoot," urged Petrie, flapping his wings, inches away from the longneck's face, "We no want to lose Cera!"

Littlefoot realized that the flyer was right. Sticking together was crucial. If one of them ran too far ahead or strayed too far behind, they might never see them again. He lifted his head, and ran after Cera, accompanied by the rest of his friends.

Cera ran up a rocky pathway, desperate to do nothing more than to get away. She was in a fright, and she knew it. She'd already made a complete and utter fool of herself by nearly pushing Mackenzie off the edge of a cliff. She could hardly stand to look at her friends.

"Cera!" Littlefoot hollered as loud as he could manage without blowing out his voice, "Slow down!"

Cera did not listen. Instead, she picked up her pace, using her horn to shake a rock loose from the wall, sending it tumbling downwards. Then, she disappeared into another tunnel.

The rock rolled into the back wall of the cavern, shattering into several smaller fragments. The others narrowly evaded being crushed by a moving chunk of rock.

Mackenzie had ducked for cover. When the danger passed, she finally looked up. "What's with _her_?"

"I think she's scared," said Littlefoot. "She doesn't want to admit it, but she's scared...because I let her down. I let all of you down."

Eva walked up next to Littlefoot, feeling sorry for the dejected longneck. But none of them could afford to waste time feeling sorry for themselves. "We can't lose her, Littlefoot. Come on." She leaped onward, landing on the pathway. Briefly glancing at the others, she began the uphill run towards the tunnel.

Cera didn't know where she was anymore. Her body was in fight or flight mode, and so far, she was choosing flight. She found herself running in a narrow corridor that slowly grew wider, the walls covered in gleaming stones which reflected an array of different colors. She could see her reflection in them, and it looked as if there were millions of her.

Eva passed through the entrance to the tunnel, utilizing all the strength in her powerful legs to catch up with the panicked threehorn. Regardless of her efforts, she was getting tired. Her speed failing, she made one last ditch effort. "CERA! STOP!"

The little sharptooth's voice echoed through the cavern, alarming Cera so much that she was startled into turning around, revealing those terrified green eyes. Not watching where she stepped, she unknowingly tripped over a rock.

"Ah! Ow!" She fell forward, landing on her belly, in a world of pain. Her body trembled violently, and as she groaned softly, she covered her eyes. All she could think of was when she misled her friends on the way to the Great Valley, making them walk into dangerous territory with her, almost getting them all killed. She'd been too stubborn to admit her mistakes, and even now, she didn't want to admit that she was fearful of the future, that she wished her father were there with her, telling her not to be scared. She wanted her mother, whom she had only known for a short time, but could feel how much she loved her. She wondered if things would be different were she still alive.

Cera whimpered, drawing in a quivering breath as she felt something wet and warm dampen her cheek. "Mom..."

Mackenzie seemed oblivious to Cera's plight, for she loved towards her in large, angry strides. After nearly plummeting to her death, she wasn't in the greatest mood, and with Cera inadvertently creating more trouble, the rainbow face was irritable. "Right, then. I've had enough of your moaning. We need to get moving."

Cera pulled her paws away from her face, revealing her eyes, shining with tears. For once, there were no menacing scowls or ill intended words. She just looked sad, like she had lost all hope — which she had.

"Mackenzie," Eva cut in, "You and the others go ahead and wait outside. I'll talk to her."

Mackenzie wordlessly pushed past Cera, stopping in front of the entrance to another tunnel. Meanwhile, Eva knelt down beside the distressed threehorn.

"Listen. My parents sent me here because they believed I'd be safe here. There were a lot of risks, and they could have lost so much, but they were willing to take the chance." She paused for a moment to let her words sink in. "We can get out of here, but only if we believe we can."

"Easy for _you_ to say," retorted Cera, "You could live in here if you wanted to."

"No," Eva said calmly, shaking her head. "I couldn't."

"Why not? There's a lot that you can eat in here, and your parents won't be worried sick looking for you."

"True, but I don't want to live the rest of my life in some dark cave. I want to be able to see what the world has to offer. But that doesn't matter right now. You need to join us. You see, Littlefoot's afraid he's let you down. But you can show him he hasn't by not giving up."

Cera gave her words some careful thought. She stared at her paws for a second, and then back at Eva. "You know, you're pretty smart for a sharptooth."

Eva wasn't quite sure whether to take that as an insult or a compliment. "Oh. Thanks, I guess," sage said smiled wryly, watching as Cera rose to her feet and calmly strolled away.

Ruby caught up with Eva, and the two walked side by side. "That was a very wise thing to say, Eva. A wise thing it was."

"Thanks, Ruby. But the smart one is really my mom. I just told Cera what my mom told me when my family got lost somewhere once. I just worded it differently."

"Still pretty smart," insisted Chomper.

"I guess so," relented Eva, accepting the compliment. "My dad always said sharpteeth were a lot smarter than everyone gave us credit for."

* * *

"Tristan, we've looked everywhere."

It was as if Tristan and Amelia had switched roles. Amelia was now apprehensive, overthinking every little thing, while Tristan was the one who had to reassure that things were not as bad as she was making them out to be.

"Don't worry," he said softly, "We'll find them."

"I knew we shouldn't have let them go."

Tristan stared at her with indignation. "You were the one that said we should _let_ them go!"

"Well, I had my doubts," countered Amelia, swaying her tail back and forth, "I suppose it's my bad for trusting them."

Tristan sighed, stepping closer to her and allowing her to rest her head under his chin. He closed his eyes, nuzzling her scales. The skies surrounding them had now turned a crimson gold which would soon turn to gray, painted with puffy pink clouds that slowly drifted above the land.

"You're a wonderful mother," he began to say. "You did everything you could. It's not your fault they can't handle themselves."

"Perhaps I was too lenient," mused Amelia.

"You weren't, believe me. You're kind and understanding, not to mention the most _beautiful_ creature on two legs, but you knew when you had to crack down. You never were afraid to assert yourself, and I admire that about you."

"Still...I should have listened to you. Had we forbidden them from going out, we wouldn't be out here, searching for them right now."

"Maybe not, but you were only being fair. You trusted them, and now you know that they're incapable of obeying orders." He looked up, deep in thought. "Come on now, I'm starting to feel like I'm repeating myself here."

"You _are_ repeating yourself, dear," Amelia teased.

Tristan had never looked more unamused. "We're having a serious conversation, thank you."

"Sorry," she mumbled, followed by a wince. She grunted softly, lowering her neck to lick the area of her thigh where the pain was most intense.

Tristan's stoic face turned even more so. He too lowered his neck, looking up at her. "What's wrong? Tired already?"

"A little bit," she murmured, "Just a sharp pain in my leg. It might be an idea to rest a little more."

"I thought you said you were feeling better."

"I'm feeling better. I'm not quite recovered yet, but I'm on my way there."

"So...you don't feel better."

"Not completely, no. But I'm not sore everywhere anymore."

"Well, what about the pain, then? You've been dealing with that for weeks, and every time you say it feels better, but it always comes back again. I don't think that's a good sign."

"But it really does go away," Amelia persisted. "I don't even feel it most of the time. It comes in spurts, and then it's gone."

"It's not gone if it comes back."

Amelia sighed, beginning to tire of this argument they seemed to always have. "This is getting really old. I've told you before to just drop it."

"It's easy for you to say that, because if you die, I'll be the one that has to live the rest of my life without you. And to me, that just sounds unnatural, and…wrong."

Amelia looked into his eyes, dumbfounded. "Is that why you're being so arrogant about this?"

"Why is this so surprising to you? I've told you that losing you is one of my worst fears — if not the worst. I've lost both my parents, my best friend, and so many others that I knew. I've been able to cope with all of them, because you were there to help me through it. What would I do if you were gone? Who would help me through _that_?"

Amelia took a deep breath. Yes, she'd thought about her own mortality, but she'd never considered what would happen to those whom she would be survived by. Her husband, her daughters, if she ignored this mysterious affliction, what would they do if it ended up claiming her life?

She leaned against him, her tail brushing against his as the bright circle fell further below the ridge, and the sky became darker. "I'm sorry. I know I've said that a lot, but I do mean it every time I say it. I mean, you know I can be very brash sometimes. I hope you're not too angry with me."

"I'm not angry with you, Amelia. I just feel helpless, because I want to help you, but you won't let me. I told you that one night that I'd always stick by you, no matter what. I meant it then, and I still do."

"I know." Amelia stepped closer. "I just forget that sometimes. It's a bit difficult to remember everything, you know?"

Tristan chuckled, and embraced her under the pale glow of moonlight. "Well, I didn't marry you because of your memory."

"Then, why _did_ you marry me?"

"You were the best I'd ever get, so I figured, 'Eh, she'll do'."

Amelia grinned, and gave Tristan a sharp swat on the back with her tail. "Funny, I thought the same thing when I married you."

Tristan cheerfully played along with her shenanigans. "Glad we're on the same page, love."

* * *

By the time the dinosaurs had finally made it out of the cavern through another tunnel which led them straight outside, it was already dark. Bear in mind, they had promised to return before dark.

Cera fell onto the grass, kissing each individual blade. She never thought she'd be so grateful to be able to see and feel something that had always been there. "Oh! Land! Sweet, _sweet_ land!"

Miriam looked up towards the starry sky. "I think we might be in trouble."

"No kidding," said Mackenzie, "We told mom and dad we'd be back before it got dark. They're probably worried sick!"

"Yes, I know. But we have to tell them about that secret passageway we found."

"My grandma and grandpa have probably put off sleep waiting for me," pondered Littlefoot, speaking aloud. "I gotta go. Bye, guys!" He skittered off, the sound of the grass rustling beneath his paws gradually becoming more distant.

Amelia and Tristan were now climbing up the hill, the moonlight offering a perfect view of their disappointed faces. They'd been joking around a while ago, but they knew when to be serious. It was time to draw the line.

"You children should go home," Amelia suggested in a low voice. "Cera, I don't think your father will be too pleased if you stay here a second longer. You all should hurry. Go on now."

"Goodnight, Miriam and Mackenzie's mom," said Ducky, allowing Spike to carry her on his back as he walked towards their home a little ways from the river.

Amelia watched the young dinosaurs leave, and then turned her gaze to her daughters. She did not look furious. She looked disappointed, and tired.

She lowered her neck down to their level. She did not yell or shout. She was surprisingly calm, but her voice was no longer so warm and loving. "We told you not to go where we couldn't see you. We were fine with you exploring your home, but we gave you certain conditions. You are expected to _follow_ those conditions."

Tristan stood straight, refusing to say or do anything. He knew not to intervene.

"First thing," continued Amelia, "You two wander off behind our backs while we were living in the mysterious beyond, knowing full well that you could be killed. And now, you decide to disappear from the face of the earth, come home late, and deliberately disobey us?"

Mackenzie opened her mouth to defend herself and her sister, but her mother put a hand out.

" _Enough_." Amelia's voice was not loud at all, but it was enough to startle Miriam and Mackenzie into submission. "We're tired of your excuses, girls. Your father and I searched the whole entire valley for you two, and we were so worried that something had happened to you. Do you know how terrifying it is when your child doesn't come home? As a parent, you fear that something happened, even if it's irrational."

"But mom," interjected Miriam, "We found a—"

"Don't interrupt me. From now on, you are to spend time with us. Both of you. When you two prove yourselves, you may go out with your friends again."

Neither Mackenzie nor Miriam looked very pleased with the development. In fact, they both looked quite angry. Scolding them was one thing. Prohibiting them from seeing their friends was another, especially since they never had many friends while growing up, and relied on sneaking off and exploring the world around them to keep themselves entertained.

"You must know," Amelia said in a gentler tone, "That all we want is for you to be safe and happy. I know it seems like a bit much right now, but one day, I hope you'll understand."

"Now, then," she said, turning around, "It's late. Let's all go home and get some sleep." She and Tristan walked off in silence, their two daughters wandering close behind.

"So much for telling mom and dad," Mackenzie whispered to her sister.

"Well," whispered Miriam, "At least we won't get in any more trouble than we already are."

The family began to make their way down the hill, to where a group of longnecks, varying in size and color, were grazing on the trees. It was times like this that the Great Valley was at it's peak, with enough food to feed the next generation, and perhaps, even the next.

Miriam and Mackenzie had always been in awe of the size of certain dinosaurs, such as the longneck with a neck so long that it towered above many of the fir trees that sprouted across the valley. Amelia and Tristan were used to seeing dinosaurs much larger than themselves and had accepted the diversity in their world, so they were not fazed in the least and continued moving forward.

Then, Mackenzie felt something with a slimy texture crawl across her feet. She looked down, and saw the lizard from earlier in the morning. She gasped happily, and bent down to go in for the kill.

As if he had sensed her attempting to have a lizard for dinner, Tristan glared at her from the corner of his eye, grunting in a rather angry and disapproving manner. He often did this when she was younger and would kill her time by catching lizards. He hadn't the foggiest idea why she fancied them so much.

Mackenzie knew then that the lizard would be free to live another day. Letting out a sad whine, she walked away from the small reptile, following her family. As she looked at the life around her, she wondered what more there was to see. Perhaps, she thought, leaving the passage to the mysterious beyond open would lead to the discovery of new creatures. Now, that would be something.

* * *

 **Pretty interesting, huh? I know it's nothing to wow at, but we'll just have to see what happens next. Also, just an fyi — the creatures in the cave are Icaronycteris, which is a type of huge prehistoric bat that lived during the early Eocene. :)**


	36. Chapter 36: The Rainbow Prince

**Hey, guys! So, I was actually able to finish this chapter shortly after I finished the last one, since it is pretty short. It's also just mainly rainbow face lore, which is why it's not vital or essential to read, so feel free to skip over it if you feel the need to. :) The next chapter will have a lot more going on, and things are gonna get real, so keep an eye out for that. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and have a great week! And as always, please review!**

 **Also, the longnecks in the very beginning of this chapter are Argentinosaurus, which were about 100 feet long, just to get an idea of how 'exceptionally large' they are.**

 **Darth Cody - That is correct. And as for her appearance, I definitely based it more on the design of the Spinosaurus from Jurassic Park 3, since that's the impression of Spinosaurus that I've had for my entire life since I first watched the movies as a little kid. Thanks for the question! :)**

* * *

Under the light cover of the silvery morning mist, the Great Valley was beginning to awaken. A small family of exceptionally large longnecks ambled across the grass, bellowing as they utilized their colossal bodies to push the trees down to where the younglings could reach the leaves of the conifers. Walking right past them was an old spiketail, going down to the watering hole for a morning drink.

The spiketail's heavy weight rumbled with each step he took, slowly moving each pair of feet after the other. For such a heavily built creature, he wasn't the most agile. Luckily, his size, and the lethal spikes at the end of his tail would be his saving grace were he ever attacked.

After some time, he reached the watering hole, where some had already preceded the old dinosaur. Across from him was a family of rainbow faces, one of whom had her head underneath the water.

Amelia had occupied herself with munching on some of the vegetation that grew near the bottom of the shallow watering hole. After holding her breath for an extended period of time, she could bear it no longer and decided to make do with what she had. She pulled her head out of the water, a clump of moist plants dangling from her beak, much like vines. Water dripping from her scales, she sucked the plants into her mouth, producing a loud slurping sound.

"Mom," complained Mackenzie, stomping her foot, "Can you please hurry up? We want to help get everything ready for the bright circle celebration."

"Don't rush me while I'm having breakfast." She looked to her daughter. "And the celebration doesn't even start until later, since I promised to tell some of the little ones a tale about the rainbow prince. So, you needn't worry about getting everything ready."

How did her mother always manage to be one step ahead of her? No matter how good of an argument was formulated in her head, her mother had twice as many punches to throw.

"Okay, but I don't want to stay by the watering hole _all_ day."

"Don't worry, we won't. I have other places to be, anyway."

Just as Amelia appeared to be ready to leave, Mr. and Mrs. Longneck came trudging slowly towards the watering hole, their only grandson in tow. Both Mackenzie and Miriam glanced at each other, and knew right then that they would be here quite some time.

"Good morning, you two," Kenneth greeted politely, lowering his neck as he usually did, both as a way to show respect and to ensure that both sides could hear each other properly. "What are you up to on this fine day?"

"Amelia wanted to go down to the watering hole for a drink," Tristan proceeded to explain. "Said her mouth felt a bit dry."

Kenneth offered a light chuckle, as well as a good natured smile. "That's very common on days like today. But it's only going to get hotter, you know."

"Yes, we know," Amelia replied in a tired voice. Not because of the conversation itself, but mostly because she found herself with much less energy nowadays. "Of course, we've had worse days than these. At least, here, we have food."

"Yes, we're very lucky," Linda added on, "While we do have some rough patches here and there, food is probably the least of our worries here in valley."

"Definitely," Amelia concurred with a nod of her head.

At the feet of the older rainbow faces, Littlefoot was speaking to Miriam and Mackenzie.

"Hey, guys," he whispered, "The others are waiting for us. You want to come?"

"We're not allowed," Miriam answered in a soft voice. "Until we can prove ourselves to be responsible enough, we're not allowed to leave our parents' sight."

"Oh. So you guys got in trouble?"

"Mhm. What about you? What did your grandparents say?"

"They were just worried, and told me to be more mindful. They didn't seem very mad, to be honest. Um...did you guys tell your mom and dad about...?"

"No. They wouldn't hear _anything_ we had to say."

"Wow." Littlefoot was genuinely taken by surprise. To him, Amelia and Tristan always seemed so laid back. He never expected them to set such boundaries. "So...you can't hang out with us?"

"Well," intervened Mackenzie, tapping her chin, "My mom is telling a story in a little bit. If all of us go, we won't have to be apart, right?"

Littlefoot stared at his paws for a moment before suddenly perking up, as if he'd made some spectacular discovery. "That's right! Mackenzie, you're a genius!"

"Uh...thank you?" Mackenzie scratched the back of her head, smiling a bit sheepishly. "It was just a suggestion…"

"I'm going to go tell the others. Catch you later!" He scurried off towards his grandparents, his red eyes gleaming. "Grandma, Grandpa, I'm going to go back to my friends."

"Alright, little one," said Linda, "Just be careful."

Littlefoot ran off without any further hesitation. He then called out to his grandparents, his form appearing to shrink as he grew more distant. "I will! Bye!"

As soon as he was out of sight completely, Amelia looked back at her sulking daughters, and offered a kind smile. She felt sympathetic, and hated to keep them from their friends. But she knew as well that they needed some sort of boundaries, or they would never grow into well adjusted adults.

"Anyway," continued Kenneth, "Shall we get going? We'll need enough time to get ready for the celebration, and we certainly don't want to take away from your story."

"Yes, of course." Amelia began to walk alongside her husband, stopping to call for her children. "Miriam, Mackenzie, come along now. You don't want to fall behind."

The pair of young dinosaurs sighed, and begrudgingly walked behind their parents.

Linda and Kenneth waited for Miriam and Mackenzie to catch up before joining the family of rainbow faces, their necks held high as they conversed amongst each other.

"I must say, I _am_ excited," Kenneth remarked.

"I am too, dear," Linda said in agreement. "The rainbow faces seem to have so many extraordinary stories."

* * *

As Tristan and Amelia walked across the valley, they passed a group of duckbills grazing on the thin thread-like leaves of a tree, chewing down the vegetation with their flat teeth. Tristan spent a good moment watching them, taking in their plump and healthy figures. He looked back at Amelia, who looked slightly emaciated, her legs somewhat thinner and more rigid. Even her stomach was less plump than Tristan remembered.

He debated whether or not to confront her about this change. The most likely result would be that she would chalk it up to nothing worth losing sleep over, and they would get into some argument which always had the same end result. He'd be wasting his breath trying to reason with her. In the end, Tristan chose to keep quiet.

Amelia seemed content, for the most part. She didn't seem bothered at all, or perhaps, she simply wasn't showing her pain. She had a bad habit of internalizing certain things for no good reason other than she hated to worry others, hated to be patronized and fussed over like a hatchling incapable of accomplishing even the most basic of tasks. Clearly, Miriam took after her mother in more ways than one.

The fear weighed heavily on Tristan's mind, regardless. He wished that Amelia would be more open to accepting help, rather than trying to right all the wrongs herself, or worse, blatantly ignoring them. He breathed a sigh, one that came out sounding more troubled and tired than he intended.

Amelia glanced at him, her sea blue eyes intrigued, but concerned. "Something the matter, dear?"

"No," Tristan said quickly, lying to her. "Just a bit tired, I suppose."

Amelia was no fool, and knew when she was being lied to, especially by her own husband. Rather than pressing the subject further, she shot him a look which told him they would speak about this at a later time.

* * *

Due to the immense heat, the story would be recited in the shade, where no one had to endure any forced exposure to the searing light of the bright circle. The location was under a large conifer tree, where many of the younglings were already waiting.

Sophie and Tricia had engaged in a game of catch, using the shell of a snail. The two hatchlings giggled as they tossed the shell back and forth with the tip of their snouts.

"That's enough fun for _you_ , young lady." Cera picked Tricia up by the flap on her neck, setting her beside a little clubtail. Sophie forgot all about the shell, her large turquoise eyes shimmering as she waddled over, plopping herself right next to Tricia. It had become apparent that the two had developed a close friendship, and were almost inseparable.

Off to the side, a quartet of tiny flyers were clambering up the sail on Eva's back, as if it were a cliff. Eva endured it in silence, glaring a hole through Chomper's head as he laughed at her misery.

One of them began to nibble on the skin of her sail, and it took all of Eva's willpower to not fling them off. Still, it wasn't all bad. At the very least, she wasn't being shunned.

"I feel bad for Eva, Spike," Ducky said to her brother, who contentedly munched on some grass, "I do, I do."

Even Gabriel and Adam were there, with their mother, who had decided she was tired of moping and feeling miserable. She'd moped around long enough, and knew that Michael would have wanted her to thrive and live happily, even if it was without him.

"I'm really glad you're here, mom," said Gabriel, leaning against Molly's shoulder.

"I'm glad I decided to come," replied Molly, briefly nuzzling both of her sons. "I've missed out on so much of this beautiful valley."

Amelia and Tristan finally came into view, and sat down in front of the group. The elderly longnecks stood near their grandson, while Miriam and Mackenzie took a seat beside their friends. The children chattered amongst themselves, until Cera took it upon herself to silence them.

"Everyone, quiet!"

Silence fell, and Amelia cleared her throat. "Thank you. As I'm sure you all know, we are gathered here today so I can tell you a story. Now, this story in particular, focuses on a character known as the rainbow prince."

"Long, long ago," she began, "When dinosaurs first came into existence, when our world was very, very different, the first ever rainbow face herd walked the land. This herd was led by a handsome young rainbow face who was called Rainbow, but he liked to call himself the Rainbow Prince. No one knew where he came from. It was as if he showed up one day, and the herd of rainbow faces were so swayed by his grace and eloquence that they accepted him as their leader."

"Well, that's just stupid," muttered Cera.

"The Rainbow Prince had a loyal sidekick — Jericho. The two were the best of friends, and never went anywhere without each other. When Rainbow fought against the first sharpteeth, Jericho fought alongside him. Together, under the warm light of the bright circle, they lived their lives. However..."

Littlefoot lowered his neck. "I knew there was a catch."

"The Rainbow Prince was not perfect,"Amelia continued. "He was arrogant and boastful, and thought that he was better than anyone and anything else. He even believed he could best the oceans, or the dry seasons. Jericho often told him ' _Rainbow, you mustn't think that way, or else, the will of the land will overpower yours_.' But the prince would laugh at his friend, and pay no heed to his advice. Then, the dry season arrived. The Rainbow Prince has neglected to gather food, and now, the once fertile land that they walked upon was a barren wasteland. Jericho came to him one day. ' _Sire, you must come quickly_!' The prince followed his sidekick, to where a young rainbow face was dying painfully. Her mate was angry, furious. Had they collected food beforehand, his mate wouldn't be starving to death."

"So, what happen?" Petrie asked curiously, begging to know.

"I'll get to that," said Amelia. "The female rainbow face soon died, unable to fight her illness any longer. In his grief, her mate rebelled against the prince, but became an object of ridicule. However, more rainbow faces began to die. Deprived of any nourishment, the size of the herd began to decrease. The Rainbow Prince was frantic. ' _Jericho, what shall I do_?' Jericho thought for a moment before answering. ' _Perhaps, you could talk to the dark rainbow face. She might be able to help you_.' This was not something the prince wanted to do. The dark rainbow face was indeed one of their kind, but her appearance meant death and darkness. She might kill him on the spot. Regardless, she was the one responsible for taking rainbow faces to the land beyond. If anyone could help his plight, it was her. At last, the prince decided to go, and Jericho went with him. They began their journey, and many days and nights passed until they had left the familiarity of their home behind, and they could see nothing that they had seen before."

She paused to catch her breath. "At long last, they came to a dark land covered with pointy rocks, showered in endless rain. They had reached the domain of the dark rainbow face. As they went further, the darkness seemed to lift slightly. The sky turned a light grey, and he could see deceased members of his herd prancing around happily. Then, a cloud of dark mist formed in front of them, forming the shape of a rainbow face. ' _Rainbow Prince, why have you come here_?' The prince looked up. ' _My lady, I have come to give you my life, in exchange for the lives of my people_.' The dark rainbow laughed and sneered. ' _My dear prince, you are not the first to ask such a thing of me. But it will not be so. Life must go on, and even you are powerless to stop it_.' She paused. ' _Ah, how rude of me. You are my guest. Let's play a game. Have you ever heard of the rainbow stone game_?' Suddenly, three stones turned down appeared in front of her. She lifted the one in the middle, revealing a beautiful rainbow pattern glimmering along the pearly interior of the stone. ' _Now, I will rearrange these stones. You must guess which one is the rainbow stone. If you lose, you will have to give me something in return_.' The prince nodded. ' _And if I win_?' The dark rainbow face smiled."

"Then, she turned away. ' _If you win, I will let you go free_.' She had made her rules explicitly clear. It was a game that the prince had played many, many times. But when it was time to guess, he guessed wrong."

The children all gasped at once. "No!" Ducky exclaimed, having grown rather attached to the character, dying to know what fate had in store for him.

"The dark rainbow face stood over the pathetic form of the Rainbow Prince. ' _You have lost. Now, you owe me something that is precious to you in return_.' Then, Jericho stepped forward. ' _You may have me_.' The dark rainbow face didn't normally accept such noble sacrifices, but she knew this would be a valuable lesson for the prince. ' _Very well_.' The prince tried to protest. ' _Wait, What are you doing_? _Jericho_! _No_! _Please, don't do it_! _I need you_!' Jericho smiled at his friend, the rainbow face whom he'd loyally stuck by for many years. ' _You don't need me. You want me with you, and I want the same. I'm sorry it has to end this way, but you have given me the best years of my life, and this is the most I can do in return_.' ' _JERICHO! DON'T_!' The prince's anguished voice echoed through the lair. Jericho embraced the prince one last time. ' _I will be waiting for you, my dear friend_.' The mist of the dark rainbow face's body engulfed Jericho in dark, black smoke, and when all was said and done, he was gone, leaving only the prince, who cried out in pain."

This development had been very tragic, yet somewhat expected. However, the way Amelia described the prince's grief at the loss of the one closest to him was so raw and powerful, it invoked several emotions amongst the crowd.

"As the prince grieved, the dark rainbow face was unbothered. ' _I hope you now understand the price of your actions. Many members of your herd lost those precious to them, and now, you have lost what is precious to you_.' The prince knelt down before her, sobbing. ' _I understand, my lady. I understand now...I'm very sorry._ ' The dark rainbow face then turned away. ' _Go home, Rainbow Prince, for your people have been saved. Actually, they were saved long ago_.'"

With that, Amelia ended, looking back at the group, some of which had tears in their eyes, including Cera.

"So, what happened to the prince?" Littlefoot inquired.

"He went home, but this time, without Jericho. But Jericho's sacrifice was not in vain, for the prince learned a valuable lesson — no matter how strong you are, you will never be a match for the forces of nature. Respect all forms of nature, and you'll be much better off. _That_ is what we rainbow faces live by."


	37. Chapter 37: The Bright Circle's Blessing

**Hey, guys. So, I've been writing this chapter for a couple of months, but kept on starting over because I wasn't satisfied with it. :') But I've finally finished it, and it is short, but some pretty wild stuff happens.**

 **Also, I might be changing this story's rating to T sometime in the near future. The direction of this story won't change, as it's still going where I planned, but there will be some violence in the later chapters, and I want to play it safe. So, that's what the rating will be changed to soon.**

* * *

The bright circle smiled upon the land, shining brighter than it ever had before. Today was one of the longest days of the year, and the bright circle seemed to be particularly generous with distributing it's warmth and light. Hence, the residents of the Great Valley thought it appropriate to give thanks for the many, many gifts that the bright circle had bestowed upon them.

One such gift was the gift of food. While having occasional droughts and floods like other places, the Great Valley had more than enough food to last the entire year. It was because of this bountiful supply of nourishment that the residents had a tendency to take it for granted, resulting in meaningless tiffs.

Up in a tree, a quartet of small flyers argued over a cherry, red and ripened. The light blue flyer holding the cherry in her beak aggressively flapped her wings, squeaking to ward the others off. Behind her, a darker blue flyer latched his teeth around her long tail. She screeched in pain, the cherry flying out of her mouth as she jumped. The dark blue flyer swooped down to catch the fruit, only to be bested by a grey female, who perched herself up in a higher branch, sneering at her bickering comrades. Just when she thought she had won, another female, a light purple, forcibly pulled the cherry from her mouth. The grey flyer pulled the cherry back, and the two flyers engaged in a fierce game of tug and war.

The grey flyer was undeniably stronger, and managed to retrieve her meal. Perhaps, she was a little too strong, for the cherry slipped from her grasp, plummeting towards the ground. The flyers all screeched in horror, watching as the highly appetizing snack slipped away from them and landed in the mouth of a female rainbow face.

Mackenzie was delightfully surprised to find a cherry falling from the sky, not hesitating for a moment to snatch it up. Red juice covered the corners of her mouth as she relished the sweet taste.

Amelia, who had been out for a stroll with her family, stopped to peer at her underbelly where a tinge of red and purple lined her scales. The bizarre discoloring did not pain her, but she was concerned about their sudden appearance.

Tristan had begun to walk ahead with his daughters when he noticed that his mate was no longer walking alongside him. He turned, and spotted Amelia a few feet behind, her neck craned so that her head was under her abdomen. Quirking a brow, he padded on towards her.

"What's wrong?" He inquired, tilting his head towards the right, his eyes concerned, "Does it itch somewhere?"

"It's not so much an itch," Amelia began to reply, pulling her head out from under her abdominal area, not quite making eye contact with him, "There's just some weird markings. I've never even noticed them before..."

"Let me see." Tristan was both curious and worried. He lowered his neck, performing a close examination of the affected area. Lo and behold, there were some rather odd markings. They looked somewhat like bruises, but her scales seemed as if they were peeling off, one by one. "Hm...does it hurt?" He proceeded to lick the area, earning disgusted expressions from Mackenzie and Miriam. To them, that was on the same level of disgusting as licking someone else's droppings.

"Ew," groaned Mackenzie, wrinkles forming on her face as she scrunched up her nose, absolutely repulsed. "Dad, that is _disgusting_."

"Oh, hush." After tending to his mate, he raised his neck, turning his head towards Mackenzie. "This is a basic task. If I couldn't do this much for your mother, then I wouldn't be a very good husband."

"Adults are gross," Miriam muttered to her sister.

Tristan snorted, rather bemused at how bold they were, acting as if they weren't two feet in front of them. "Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but you two will be _just_ as gross as us one day, if not more."

"That's right," said Amelia. "You'd do good to appreciate your youth while you still can. It won't last forever."

Mackenzie rolled her eyes and shook her head. She wasn't sure if anyone could be as gross as her parents, with their gestures of affection and pet names for each other — it made her sick.

Amelia and Tristan shared a laugh at their daughter's defiance before they resumed walking. It proved to be a bit difficult for Amelia to keep up with her mate's pace, and this showed in the way she moved each leg slowly with an occasional wince. Her breathing was somewhat more noticeable than usual, as if she were struggling to catch even a single whiff of air.

Tristan's previously blank expression turned into one of worry. He continued sauntering forward, but his eyes did not leave her. He still remembered clearly how she used to look — her sea blue eyes always shining with a childlike innocence, and her figure so plump and strong. Now, she was dangerously thin, treading the line of being severely underweight. Dark circles were under her eyes, as she always seemed to be tired, and even her lovely green scales had a different texture to them.

His first instinct was to interrogate, ask her if she'd been eating enough, and why she looked so ill. However, he refrained from doing so. An angry interrogation was the last thing she needed. Rather, he gave her snout a brief nuzzle, and spoke softly. "Are you feeling alright? You seem to be lagging a bit. Do you need to rest?"

Amelia stopped, her tired eyes fixated onto the grass. Her mouth agape, she sucked in a breath. "I just feel tired— I think I might not have eaten enough. All I had for breakfast was that green food from the watering hole."

"But you were fine earlier," Tristan stated, recalling how lively she'd been a few hours ago, while telling her tale, "It seemed to me like you had a substantial meal."

"Maybe." Amelia sighed. She'd been feeling ill time and time again, and no matter how much better she felt, the illness would always return to bite her in the tail. It was a problem, a real problem. "I really don't know why, but I'm just not feeling up to scratch today. Perhaps another rest would be good."

"Alright," he said, nodding. "Let's go to the shade. You can rest there. I don't want you staying in the heat."

So, the two dinosaurs changed their path, much to the bewilderment of their children.

"Mom, dad?" Miriam raised a brow inquisitively. "I thought we were going straight?"

"Your mother doesn't feel well," Tristan explained. "I'm taking her to the shade so she can rest for a little while."

Miriam and Mackenzie stole a glimpse of their mother, who stood hunched over, her head hanging low. The look in her eyes, it was as if any and all life had left them.

"In that case, can we go hang out with our friends?" Mackenzie asked, almost reluctantly.

Tristan seemed somewhat offended that they were more concerned about spending time with their friends rather than the health and well-being of their own mother. He was undeniably worried to death about her, but no one else seemed as worried as he did. Perhaps, he was overreacting a tad bit — no, this was most definitely something to worry about, as there was something seriously wrong with his mate. None of this was normal, especially not for someone as healthy and strong as Amelia.

He looked at his daughters for a long time, and then looked at Amelia to see what she had to say.

"I'm alright with it," she said in a rather strained voice, as if even speaking was difficult, "I'm in no mood to argue, and one day won't hurt. But if I hear—" she was interrupted by a cough, and then another. "If I hear that you two have done something stupid, it's back to being grounded."

Tristan gave her a sideways glance, alert and on edge, ready to bolt and call for help if he needed to. Miriam and Mackenzie wore worried and uneasy expressions, as if they were beginning to have second thoughts.

Mackenzie began to slouch, her tail dangling downwards, a dead giveaway that she was feeling nervous. "...Mom?"

Amelia appeared to be angry and exasperated, something quite uncharacteristic of her. "Yes?"

Mackenzie searched her mother's face. She looked the exact opposite of what Mackenzie remembered. "Are you okay...?"

Tristan couldn't help but allow a smile to turn up the corners of his mouth. He would rather not be having this sort of discussion at all, but he was glad someone else besides himself was finally beginning to take notice of Amelia's slowly declining health.

"I'm fine, dear." A slither of her usual kind and loving tone managed to slip into her voice. "Don't worry. Just go and play with your friends."

When their mother offered them that confident smile that had helped them through the darkest of times, Miriam and Mackenzie felt more reassured, and ran up the hill to find their friends.

"Come on," Tristan urged gently, sticking close to his mate as the two walked side by side.

* * *

Molly and her sons wandered the downwards slope leading to the winding stream, connected to a roaring waterfall. Slowly, she edged towards the end of the bank, where she could see the clear water flowing freely. She lowered her neck, taking small and gentle sips. Then, she looked up.

Surrounded by tall trees with broad leaves, as well as a variety of life, Molly was disappointed that she'd never taken the time to notice them before. She had been so upset about Michael's death, that it was as if all the beauty had gone from the world. It was only now that she was beginning to see that beauty once more.

Adam walked closer to the stream, dipping his hand in the water to feel the temperature. "...Mom? Is the water okay?"

"It's fine, honey," Molly replied, taking another drink.

"It seems questionable to me..."

"Why don't you get a closer look?" Gabriel asked, moments before pushing his brother into the stream.

Adam shrieked from sheer surprise as he tumbled into the water with a splash. It was hardly deep enough to go past his ankles, so depth was not an issue. Adam, however, was deeply upset when he resurfaced, sputtering some of the water he'd accidentally swallowed.

"Gabe! That wasn't funny!"

Molly chuckled out loud, despite trying to hold back her laughter. "Your father would have thought it was."

Adam went silent. Then, he offered a kind smile. "I'm sure he would be happy to see you enjoying yourself, mom."

"And he would be so proud of you," Gabriel added.

Before Molly had the chance to speak, she spotted a silhouetted figure amongst the vegetation. The figure stood on two legs, and it's shape resembled that of a rainbow face. Molly squinted so that she could see better, but the figure was effectively concealed under the leaves of the trees, bushes, and other plants.

"Stay here, boys," she commanded, "I'll be right back."

Carefully, she hopped over the stream, and stepped into the shadows. She barely made a sound as she passed through the cover of the bushes. The figure was still standing there, under the tree. Then, it stepped forward, revealing the limbs that closely resembled Molly's.

Molly looked down, her brows furrowed. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, and she could feel her heart thumping against her chest.

The figure slowly emerged, stepping out to where the sunlight shone through the trees. Molly turned deathly pale, the blood rushing from her face.

"Molly...hey, baby."

The figure was indeed a rainbow face. But there was only one rainbow face who spoke to her like that, and he was dead. It couldn't possibly be Michael. Her mind was playing a cruel, cruel trick on her.

She covered her eyes with her hands, hunching over. "No...it can't be. I'm finally beginning to enjoy my life again, why now?"

"Molly..."

Good grief. It even sounded like him. The way he extended his hand, those worried sage eyes, they all reminded her of him.

"No!" She cried, shaking her head and covering her eyes once more. "You're dead! You can't be here! You're _dead_!"

The rainbow face that was supposedly Michael shook his head helplessly, his own eyes welling up with tears at the sight of his wife, whom no one could blame for this outburst.

Molly broke down into tears, her claws gripping her scales, creating small, minuscule cuts in the skin. "You're not real, you're not real, you're _not_ real."

Left with little choice, Michael could see what he had to do. He walked closer, and touched his hand to her cheek. Then, he pressed their foreheads together. "I _am_ real, and I _am_ here. I've come back to you, Molly...I'm sorry for leaving you by yourself for so long."

Molly sobbed quietly, closing her eyes and shaking her head. His presence felt so real, and so like him, but she couldn't believe it. She didn't want to indulge herself to get close to him, only to find out that this was yet another figment of her imagination.

Gabriel and Adam remained where they were, as they had been told. However, as they listened closely, they could hear their mother's sobs, a sound which had been seared into both of their minds.

"Mom's crying," whispered Adam.

"She could be hurt," theorized Gabriel, "We should go make sure she's alright."

"But mom said—"

"It doesn't matter what mom said if she's been hurt," Gabriel interrupted, "Come on."

The brothers peered into the bushes, and saw two rainbow faces. One was clearly their mother. The other...

"No way..." Gabriel said in a hushed voice, wide eyed. "Adam, I think I'm seeing things."

"No, no, I see him too. We can't both be off our tails, can we?"

Michael had anticipated this sort of reaction, but he'd never quite prepared himself for it. Molly had taken him for dead. Everyone had. She had more than likely spent weeks, or maybe months, grieving the loss of him. Now, she had finally begun to heal, and her husband, who she thought was dead and gone, had shown up in front of her as if it had never happened.

"Molly, you have to believe me."

"But...how can you be here? I _saw_ you—"

"I know." He wound his arms around her, lifting her off of the ground a few inches in a gentle embrace, "I know what happened, but you have to believe that it really is me. It's not just you imagining things, it's not some messed up joke, it's me. Please...I've missed you so much, Molly."

Molly was taken by surprise at the sudden embrace, more tears streaming down her face. She was terrified to believe him. She didn't want to get hurt another time. She looked up, meeting his pleading eyes. Seeing how desperate he was, she relented.

"...What happened? How did you survive?"

Michael smiled, breathing a sigh of relief as he massaged her shoulder. "I'm not really sure how I survived, but I think it's because I didn't receive nearly as much impact as those fast biters. Anyway, as soon as I was able to get out, I headed to the Great Valley, because I had told you to go there."

Molly, who had now calmed down considerably, nodded her head. "And I did."

Michael smiled as he continued on. "On my way, I met a little sharptooth. We got off to a rough start, but she was a sweet little creature."

Realization flashed in her eyes. Not because of Michael associating himself with a sharptooth, but because there was a chance that they were both thinking of the same dinosaur.

"...Is her name Eva, by any chance?"

Michael was dumbfounded. He stared at her, mouth ajar. "How did you know?"

"The boys told me that Miriam and Mackenzie told them about her. She lives here, in the Great Valley."

"No way."

"What, I'm serious!"

Michael smiled to himself. He had told the sharptooth that they might meet again someday, but he was pleased to find that the day had come sooner than expected. He looked back at Molly, who looked tired beyond all belief. Once again, he pressed their foreheads together.

"You can rest now," he told her, his voice barely above a whisper, "I'm here to help. You've done a great job, and I couldn't be more proud. There's no way I would have been able to handle all that if I were in your place."

"I wish you _were_ in my place," Molly snapped, not tearing away from him as she usually would when tired of his nonsense, "Then you would know what it was like, feeling so hopeless, like your life as you once knew it was over, and you might never be the same again."

Michael chuckled and nuzzled her chin, not bothering to withhold the sparkling tears that sprang to his eyes. He had given up on acting 'masculine' years ago. He didn't care whether crying or showing affection made him seem soft, or somehow less masculine. All that he cared about was that those he loved knew that they were loved. After nearly losing his life, it opened his eyes to how short his life had the potential to be. He couldn't waste time acting cold and standoffish, especially not to his family.

Gabriel and Adam stood there the entire time, watching the scene unfold. When Michael finally looked towards them, Adam was so taken aback that he stumbled backwards, falling over in the process. He quickly scrambled to his feet, hiding behind his brother's leg.

"M-Mom...? Do you see...?"

"Your father?" Molly lowered her head to his level. "I know. I know it seems impossible, but it really is him."

"Come on out, lad," Michael crooned, tickling Adam under the chin.

Adam backed away, retreating further behind Gabriel, who was just as shocked as him.

A look of realization then passed over Gabriel's face, replaced by an expression of intense thought. "If we both see him, and mom sees him too, then he _has_ to be real. Right?"

Michael grinned eagerly. "Now we're talking."

Gabriel stepped forward, his steps slow and cautious. Once he was face to face with his father, he extended a hand, feeling the older dinosaur's cheek, rubbing the palm of his hand over the green scales. Upon feeling the texture, Gabriel realized that this was no illusion. This was his father. He recognized him by his voice, his scent, his touch, and by his love.

"Dad..." He jumped into his arms, allowing himself to be held and cradled by his father, as if he were a hatchling again. His emotions overwhelmed him at once — the feeling of relief, the realization of how glad he was to have his father back, the happiness he felt for his mother — it all came over him like a powerful tidal wave.

Michael held Gabriel tightly, gently rocking him from side to side. "Oh, my big boy...your dad's here now. Don't worry. Oh, I've missed you so much—"

"I've missed you too, dad. We all did." Gabriel sniffled, unaware that he was crying.

Michael peered over his son's shoulder, and saw his other son sitting on the ground, staring. Adam had always been rather awkward and scared, which Michael had come to understand, giving the father and son a very special bond.

He set Gabriel down on the ground, and padded over to Adam. Without any warning beforehand, he lifted him up as well. Adam had little opportunity to protest.

"Didn't think I'd forget about you, did you?"

Adam didn't have a response for him, just a harassed stare.

"Come on, Adam. Don't you recognize me?"

"How...how do I know it's you...?"

"How could it be anyone else?"

Adam took a moment to sniff him, and then looked into his eyes. It was most definitely him, but...how?

"I know it doesn't make a lot of sense," said Michael, as if reading Adam's mind, "But that doesn't matter, son. What matters is that I'm here, and that you all are safe and sound."

After a moment of brief consideration, Adam also embraced the male rainbow face. Suddenly, the past weeks of hurt seemed to have vanished, replaced by the love of his family, reunited and stronger than ever before.

* * *

"Here we are."

Tristan and Amelia walked into the clearing, surrounded by conifer trees of various sizes. Tristan had been able to locate a spot where his wife could rest without being exposed to any sunlight, and carefully led her to the area.

By this point, Amelia was in a very bad way, and truly felt ready to collapse just about anywhere. Her limbs ached, begging her for a rest. However, she was now hesitant to relieve herself, for she feared that if she fell, she might not rise again.

"Where is here...?" Amelia asked in a voice too soft to be audible. She then stopped in her tracks, her neck lowering as she opened her mouth in order to breathe better. It was getting harder to hide this from her husband, who was already worried enough.

Tristan gave the clearing a quick glance over, admiring the sense of calmness it brought. The sunlight seeped in through the leaves, but barely enough to offer a bit of warmth. A soft whisper traveled through the air, sadly overridden by the screeching and clicking sounds of other creatures.

"What do you think, dear? It's quite nice, isn't it?" When he turned his head to witness her reaction, he was taken aback by her condition. He blanched visibly, his eyes wide as he took a step backwards. Amelia's now flaky scales were so discolored, they no longer looked green. Her tail fell flat, sulking towards the ground. She coughed violently, each cough resembling a desperate gasp for air.

"Amelia." His voice was firm, but the twinge of fear that he felt showed in the way his mouth trembled and quivered. "Amelia, you— you're sick, sit down— Amelia!"

Her knees buckled, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the ground. Tristan had cut himself off to reflexively yell her name and catch her body with his. This helped lessen the impact, as she still fell to the ground with a loud thud which caused the ground to rumble briefly. Tristan could feel the vibrations as her body went limp.

Amelia slipped in and out of awareness, while Tristan was bent over her, trying to establish some sort of contact. He repeatedly nudged her in the side with no response. "Amelia? Amelia, come on, wake up."

At last, she opened her eyes, a circle of sea blue visible underneath her lid. She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. She looked at Tristan, utterly confused.

Tristan was relieved to see that she was able to regain consciousness. It was a sign that she wasn't a goner just yet. When he saw her collapse, all he could think was that she was dead — she was dead, and the light had gone from his life.

"Tristan," she rasped, her breathing sounding rather wet and ragged. "Tristan, what's wrong...?"

He couldn't bear to tell her. She looked lost and confused enough already, and he just couldn't send another whirlwind of confusion her way. After all, if her condition persisted, she would find out soon enough — which would hopefully never come to pass. At the moment, he had to focus on helping her get home so she could have a decent rest.

"Nothing," he finally said after staring into her eyes for what felt like a long time, but was in actuality, a few short seconds. "You just tripped and fell, and I got worried. I wanted to make sure you didn't accidentally hurt yourself."

Amelia's mouth began to curve into a smile out of amusement at his anxious and overprotective nature, but a sharp, stinging pain radiating against her head stopped her from doing so. Purely out of reflex, she cried out in pain.

Tristan's muscles tensed up as he watched her, alarmed. She only seemed to get worse with each movement she made, the energy gradually leaving her body. Still, through it all, she remained her cheery and lovely self.

"Amelia, let's go home."

"What?" She coughed for a bit, trying to manage a few words as she hacked, "Why? Surely, it can't be _that_ late..."

Tristan said nothing, and simply begged her to listen with a look that Amelia had seen many times before. She gave a sigh, and with much difficulty, rose to her feet.

Her footing was unsteady and uncertain, her body wobbling as she struggled to stay planted onto the grass. She was in a haze, able to see a blurred version of her surroundings, and hear her husband's warbled voice ask her a question. She took some time to respond, but Tristan waited patiently.

"W-What was that...?"

Tristan had asked her if she thought could stand on her own. A foolish inquiry, really. Her condition spoke for itself. Needless to say, he didn't need any further coaxing to see that she would require some assistance. He grabbed her hand, gripping it firmly while giving it a comforting squeeze.

Amelia's head felt like it weighed several tons, and at the same time, felt as light as a feather. Within the gurgling bowels of her stomach, she felt ominously uneasy. Then, without any warning, she vomited all over Tristan.

"Sorry," she managed to gasp, her consciousness fleeting from her like a buzzer that she had barely missed by an inch.

Tristan was beyond disgusted that he was now covered his wife's bodily fluids, but the disgust was easily outweighed by worry. He dismissively shook his head, communicating to her that it was nothing she needed to be sorry for.

She began to lose her hold on whatever little fragments of consciousness she had been hanging onto, her lids growing heavier and heavier. Seconds after her world became a swarming mass of colors, her body was pulled downwards, hitting the ground with a deafening thud. Tristan couldn't catch her this time.

"Amelia!" Tristan fell to his knees, trying to bring her back around a second time, but she was completely unresponsive. No matter how desperately he called her name, she remained unconscious. In that moment, he reprimanded himself for everything he hadn't done — he hadn't pushed her to do something about the signs of illness that she exhibited, he hadn't cared for her well enough, he hadn't been a good husband. The truth was, he had done all of those things to the best of his ability, but at the moment, he was in shock and ridden by guilt, under the impression that he was somehow culpable for all of this. He wouldn't start thinking rationally until later on.

After shaking her motionless form for a good minute, which proved to be futile, Tristan looked up at the sky. He still had time to get her home. Quite surprisingly, he was grateful that their daughters were not present, for the memory of their mother collapsing was not one he would want them to have with them for the rest of their lives.

Maneuvering her limp body up onto his back was a task almost too great for Tristan, especially with his lackluster physical strength, but he managed it. He was able to position her so that she was lying flat on her stomach, but due to her being almost the same size as him, her body was a heavy weight on his back. Grabbing hold of her arms, he glanced back at her one more time. He would have to pull both his weight and hers, but he would do so without any qualms.

"Hang on, Amelia," he whispered, as if she could hear him and respond, "Be strong."

While his first bright circle celebration hadn't been the most fantastic, there was one thing he was thankful for, and that was how the bright circle seemed to stay in the sky longer to light his way home.

* * *

 **So, Michael is reunited with his family at last, while the truth of Amelia's illness is finally out in the open. Guess we'll just have to see what becomes of her. The next chapter will focus on the celebration from other perspectives, such as that of the gang, and we'll also see Miriam's and Mackenzie's reactions to this fiasco.**

 **Anyway, please review, and as always, have a good week!**


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